The Rosenwald Family
by Chickie.Babe1
Summary: The Rosenwalds are an old Pure-blooded family with a gift behind the name. The parents hold quite the influence while the three children, Nicholas, Skylar and Leon, have spent years waiting to go to the prestigious school of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Nicholas, being the oldest, goes first before Skylar finally gets her turn, though she doesn't expect what happens.
1. Chapter 1

**So this is my new series for Harry Potter, which I do not own (just slip in a disclaimer there). It was called Glowing Sapphires, it's now The Rosenwald Family.**

 **I've only just started the second one, but with assignments and Uni I am unsure as to when it will be completed, proof read and therefore able for publishing.**

 **Write me reviews, tell me what you think, apart from spelling and grammar because I'll make those mistakes. It doesn't matter how many time I read through it, I always miss some. But tell me where you think it's going, make predictions, might give me some ideas. I have a plan, thanks to The Unbreakable Series I'm more prepared.**

 **I hope you enjoy it. The first 13 and a half chapters are all original, not book copied. There are quite a bit of original parts however it does follow the books, Mostly canon with a few changes here and there.**

 **But hope you enjoy it! I think it's cute and interesting!**

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Chapter 1:

The skies were a dull grey and little clouds littered the vast open air. The sun was rising into the sky, leaving hints of colour across the vast openness in oranges and pinks along the horizon.

A large house sat atop of an open field, extensive gardens littered the front, hedges along the front fence and beside the arched driveway, while the back gardens followed on from a patio. The flowers from the back garden, consisting of roses, chrysanthemums, poppies, lilies, tulips, hydrangeas, gardenias and other foliage. Amongst these were a few plants that moved without the wind, swaying unnaturally, as well as others none had ever seen before. The flowers began to open first as the sun hit them and some of the plants reached up to get the first rays of heat.

The house was quiet as it was still early however movement could be seen within one of the larger windows on the bottom floor. Between it's windowpanes, to any looking in, they would have spotted the face of a small nine year old girl. Her hair was auburn and her eyes were a bright blue, her skin pale against the reddish tinted hair. Her bright eyes scanned the skies as they brightened from the sun that rose beyond them. She still wore her pyjama's which were a light blue colour.

"Miss Skylar," the girl turned, her curls flinging with the sudden movement, to find a small creature, a little shorter than herself, with a large head, wide brown eyes and very large ears that resembled that of a bat. "Why is Miss Skylar awake so early?" it asked.

"Nick get's his letter today. The sooner he leaves, the sooner I get to go." Skylar responded as she looked back at the sky, searching for something.

"Miss Skylar has always been excited to begin, yes." the elf nodded, bowing slightly. "I'll make Miss Skylar some breakfast."

"Thanks Midori." Skylar said before she sat back on the cushions of the window ledge and watched the skies, patiently, but expectantly.

"You're up early Skylar," a male's voice sounded this time and the small girl looked up to see a tall man, with brown hair, ruffled slightly, and with blue eyes like his daughter's. The young girl smiled up at him as he patted the top of her head. "Here I thought Nick would be the one up and excited."

"He hasn't been excited at all." Skylar said, clearly disapproving of this fact. Her father chuckled

"You'll find that's not entirely true Skylar, he just doesn't want to show to you how he feels." Skylar frowned.

"Why not?" she tilted her head slightly.

"He thinks it's uncool." the girl frowned some more.

"He will tell me what it's like wont he? And you'll make him come home for Christmas to tell me all about it? And write to me while he's away?" her father chuckled some more as he sat beside her.

"Now Skylar, would you want to be spending your first year always writing to your younger siblings? Would you write to Leon about everything?" he asked. Skylar blinked at him for a minute before she sighed. "Besides, there's nothing Nicholas can tell you that you cannot read in one of the books, is there?"

"I guess not." Skylar thought. "Dad are you going to work today?" she asked and he nodded. "But then you cannot come to Diagon Alley with us."

"Not today unfortunately, I did ask but I will be home for dinner." he promised. She sighed again.

"Well, I guess that's alright."

"We will need to celebrate after all." she nodded excitedly before there was noise above them. The two turned and suddenly a small boy with a dressing gown half pulled on came running towards them. He was seven, with hazel eyes and brown hair like his father.

"Has it come!?" he asked as he panted while leaning on cushions and staring out the window as well.

"You as well Leon?" his father asked smiling.

"I wish it was me going!"

"Your time will come." his father assured.

"But I want to go now." Leon frowned.

"Well, it seems the only one who hasn't gotten up with excitement is the only one who has a reason to." The three turned to find a women, with auburn hair and hazel eyes, her skin pale, dressed in deep purple robes and walking towards them. She smiled as her husband stood to his feet and kissed her cheek sweetly.

"I think you'll find he's already awake." the man smiled.

Skylar and Leon shared a look before they dashed along the hallway. They moved until the front door came into view in which there were two sets of stairs moving up and away from. The two climbed one set and moved along a hallway to the right of the house until they reached a door. They stopped and both peaked into the room. It was light, the curtains over the windows having already been drawn. They could see through the well decorated room, in which several posters covered the walls. Each of the people inside, several on broomsticks, were whizzing about and moving. A bed sat to the left side, a desk in the corner facing one of the windows and a wardrobe and chest of draws closer to the door on the right. By the window was a boy, his hair short and brown like his younger brother and he too was staring at the sky like his sister had been doing earlier.

Skylar and Leon shared a look before they started giggling, their father having been right about him being excited. The eleven year old boy however heard the two and spun around. He moved to the door and opened it to have the nine year old girl and seven year old boy tumble into his room.

"What are you doing?" he demanded.

"Mum was wondering where you were." Leon admitted

"Dad said you'd be excited and refusing to show it." Skylar giggled. "He was right."

The elder boy blushed slightly.

There was a loud crack and the three all turned to see Midori standing in the hallway, bowing to them, before she looked at them.

"Breakfast is ready Masters and Mistress."

"Thanks Midori." the three chorused before the older boy moved off past his siblings who chuckled some more before they stood to their feet and moved off after their older brother.

They moved along the hall, down the stairs and turned right at the bottom, passing the entrance hall, front door, and moving through a heavy set of wooden sliding doors. Inside was a heavily decorated sitting room, a fire place sided by windows on their left faced the front drive and garden, and towards the front of the entrance gate and heavy silver fence that surrounded the property. There was another set of open sliding doors opposite the first, which lead to a highly dark polished dining table with many chairs around it. A chandelier graced most of the ceilings, including here, all the sitting rooms, over the landings and in the entrance hall. Along with this was two candlesticks sitting on the table and a large fireplace was within this room as well, graced with a large mirror above it and several crystal ornaments. Beside the fire was a much smaller door and large cabinets with different artefacts gracing it's mirrored shelves sat opposite the children entering the door.

Unlike this room, many of the hallways within the large manor were covered in portraits of all different witches and wizards; including family members, friends, and a few historical influences over the years. Each of these portraits moved, within their frames and into each others.

The kitchen sat on the same end of the house as the dinning table, backing towards the garden, another set of stairs joined it as well as a drawing room and Midori's room. In the middle at the back of the house, on the ground floor almost directly opposite the main entrance, was a ballroom, looking out over the back garden with a wall full of windows.

The library, two more sitting rooms, and their parents offices sat to the other side of the house. Upstairs was the three children's rooms to the left above these, a few other spare rooms joined these which included bedrooms for visitors, study rooms, and a few bathrooms, allowing Skylar to have her own instead of sharing with her brothers. On the other end was their parents' master room, another drawing room, sitting room and a room in which the children were given to do what ever they had wish with.

The three children parents were sitting at one end of the dinning table as Midori was filling the shinning goblets with a click of her fingers, the jug of juice floating and pouring it's contents by itself. The three all took a seat at the table, Skylar next to her mother, the two boys opposite them and their father at the head.

Everyone began eating when they were seated, they were silent as they ate but Nicholas was constantly glancing at the window to his right, looking down the drive as if expecting a visitor. His four family members all noticed this and were smiling slightly as they ate, not saying anything. Leon and Skylar shared a look and tried to snuffle their giggles, earning a look from their father in response.

"So, Nicholas, are you excited?" his mother spoke up. Her son looked at her before shrugging and turning back to his food.

"Little." and he glanced back at the window, ignoring as his siblings chuckled some more.

"As I remember correctly when you were little it was all you could talk about." his father said teasingly. Nicholas looked at him slightly annoyed.

"That was then. It's not that big a deal." he said stubbornly.

"That's why you were watching the sky for the owl outside the window earlier." Skylar said slyly and her brother scowled at her.

"I was just checking the weather for our visit to Diagon Alley." he lied.

"You're lying." both younger siblings responded and he looked ready to argue but Skylar and Leon shared another look over the table, their eyes locked as though they were having a conversation. Nick groaned

"Will you stop it."

"You do it too." Skylar pointed out.

"I'm not right now." he mumbled but even his parents chuckled at his antics.

"Nicholas there's nothing wrong with being excited." his mother assured. He said nothing.

The door behind their father opened and Midori walked in. The five turned and watched her as she moved over to stand between Nicholas and his father.

"An owl arrived sir." she bowed to them all before holding several letters up to their father who took them along with a rolled up newspaper. "And this arrived for Master Nicholas." in the elf's hands was a very thick yellow envelope. On one side was neat curly green writing and on the other, was a wax seal. It held four small images around a giant H.

Skylar sat forwards in her chair, getting as close as she could as Leon leaned over to their brother. Nicholas stared at the envelope as though he was nervous to open it, unsure what to do.

"Open it!" Skylar beamed and he looked at her, then to Leon. His parents nodded and he broke the wax seal before pulling out two pieces of parchment and a ticket. He read it aloud:

 _HOGWARTS SCHOOL of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY_

 _Headmaster: ALBUS DUMBLEDORE_

 _(Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc., Chf. Warlock, Supreme Mugwump, International Confed. of Wizards)_

 _Dear Mr._ _Rosenwald_ _,_

 _We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment._

 _Term begins on September 1. We await your owl by no later than July 31. Yours sincerely,_

 _Minerva McGonagall,_

 _Deputy Headmistress_

A grin slowly developed on Nicholas' face as Skylar and Leon shared a look of excitement. Their parents shared a smile before their mother called Midori and asked for a quill, ink, parchment and her owl, a Northern White-faced Owl by the name of Cicil. Both their parents had their own owls as they were constantly sending and receiving letters while working from home instead of when they were in the office, their father's owl was an Eagle Owl by the name of Trip.

Midori did as was asked and the auburn haired women wrote on the parchment before folding it up and handing it to the white and grey owl, the animal taking it in it's beak before letting Midori carry her to a window which the elf opened. The owl soared out the window while Leon was now trying to read the book list over his brother's shoulder, who's eyes were scanning it.

"What's it say?" Skylar demanded, annoyed as she was across the table and couldn't see what was written on the parchment.

HOGWARTS SCHOOL of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY

UNIFORM

First-year students will require:

1\. Three sets of plain work robes (black)

2\. One plain pointed hat (black) for day wear

3\. One pair of protective gloves (dragon hide or similar)

4\. One winter cloak (black, silver fastenings)

Please note that all pupils' clothes should carry name tags

COURSE BOOKS

All students should have a copy of each of the following:

 _The Standard Book of Spells (Grade 1) by Miranda Goshawk_

 _A History of Magic by Bathilda Bagshot_

 _Magical Theory by Adalbert Waffling_

 _A Beginners_ _'_ _Guide to Transfiguration by Emeric Switch_

 _One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi by Phyllida Spore_

 _Magical Drafts and Potions by Arsenius Jigger_

 _Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them by Newt Scamander_

 _The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection by Quentin Trimble_

OTHER EQUIPMENT

1 wand

1 cauldron (pewter, standard size 2)

1 set of glass or crystal phials

1 telescope set

1 brass scales

Students may also bring an owl OR a cat OR a toad

PARENTS ARE REMINDED THAT FIRST YEARS ARE NOT ALLOWED THEIR OWN BROOMSTICKS

"No broomsticks?" Leon frowned looking very disappointed "But I wanted to play Quidditch!"

"You can Leon, but not until your second year." his mother admitted

"It's accustomed you're time is not distracted by being a part of the team before you've learned to manage all your subjects and homework." their father nodded.

"Daddy can I please get my wand now?" Skylar asked but her father shook his head as he chuckled.

"Not until you're off to learn how to use it properly." he said and she frowned slumping into her chair.

"Not much longer for you now Skylar." her mother brushed her hair.

"Still two more years!" she complained

"It'll fly by in no time." her father assured "Besides, you can start learning by reading the books."

"I have been, it's not the same." Skylar said

"Coming from the girl who doesn't seem to have uncontrollable magic." Leon said grimacing, jealous of this fact.

"You do have a knock for magic without a wand already Skylar." her mother nodded.

The girl wasn't deterred from her wish of wanting to go to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry early.

"Well, I must be off." their father stood to his feet and Midori arrived with a briefcase as he ruffled Leon's head, patted Nicholas' shoulder, kissed Skylar's forehead and his wife's cheek.

"Have a good day at work Nathaniel." she smiled

"Enjoy your outing with the ruggrats Dom." he returned, earning complaints from the three and laughing as he made his way to the foyer, out the door, and with a turn on his heel there was a pop and the man was gone.

"Can we go now!?" Leon asked grinning, leaning expectantly on the table.

"Wouldn't you like to get dressed first?" his mother asked and Nathaniel smirked at his siblings as they realised they were still in their pyjamas. With a shared look the two younger siblings, having finished their breakfast, scrambled down from their chairs and ran off through the sitting room and clattered up the stairs to their rooms.

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 **If you're interested, Skylar starts Hogwarts in chapter 14.**


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2:

Skylar fiddled with the shorter ends of her hair which refused to stay within the braids her long hair now sat in as she wore a set of blue robes and stood within a rather clean and large kitchen. The bench tops were all white while the cupboards were a deep mahogany. They lined three of the walls, a sink facing the window in which the dishes they'd just eaten breakfast on were being scrubbed by a cloth by themselves in. A large fireplace sat opposite this, big enough for Dom to stand up in easily while there were a few doors that lead to the dinning room, a pantry, a powder room and the hallway.

Leon was the only one missing from the kitchen as Nicholas stood waiting, holding a small intricate flower like pot in his hands full of what looked like sand, and Dominique helped finish her daughter's hair. The door opened to the side and Leon clattered in with Midori behind him.

"Leon do you always have to make such a racket?" his mother asked with a sigh.

"It's not like I mean to." he shrugged innocently and Skylar giggled as her mother straightened up. Midori moved and with a click of her fingers a fire sprang up in the fireplace. Midori took the bowl from Nicholas who took a pinch and threw it at the flames, which turned emerald green.

"Alright then, everyone in." The four stepped in and the fire rose over their heads and licked at their robes, but didn't burn.

"Diagon Alley!" Dominique spoke and the four vanished from the fireplace as Midori grabbed a broom to sweep up what little soot had jumped out of the fireplace.

The family was spinning very fast and being sucked through the fireplaces, a roaring sounded through their ears as cold air whipped at their faces. As fast as it had begun it stopped and the two younger siblings stumbled forwards as their mother pulled them from the right fireplace and Nicholas managed to keep his feet.

Before them was a long cobbled street that twisted and turned between many buildings, tall in height and looming over the street before them.

Skylar looked around excitedly at the street, always excited to see it despite having been there several times already. She didn't notice her mother tap her with her wand to clean off all the soot before they moved off down the street.

"Now do not go wondering off." she warned sternly, and the three knew from their mother's tone they were not to disobey.

"Mum can we go into Flourish and Blotts?" Skylar asked

"Haven't we got enough books?" Nicholas questioned

"I want more!" Skylar snapped "I want to learn about spells!"

"We have to enter Flourish and Blotts anyway, dear, to get your school books." Dom reminded her older son.

"I wanna go into Quality Quidditch Supplies!" Leon said excitedly

"And the Eeylops Owl Emporium!" Skylar added

"We will get Nicholas' equipment first." Dominique told the three as the boy in question was reading the requirement list again. "First you need your robes." and she lead the way up the cobbled street towards a shop called Madam Malkin's Robes For All Occasions.

"Ahh, Mrs Rosenwald," Madam Malkin moved towards them smiling "What can I get you this time?"

"Nicholas needs his Hogwarts robes." Madam Malkin looked at the boy

"First year dear?" he nodded as she gestured for him to follow her through to the back. Skylar and Leon went to follow excitedly as their mother sat in the shop and picked up a paper to wait.

The two watched as Nick stood on a stool and the long robe was slipped over his head before the women began to pin it to the right length.

"Madam Malkin, can we get some robes too?" Skylar asked

"I'm afraid if you got them now they wouldn't fit you by the time you started at Hogwarts, dear." Skylar frowned. Instead the two younger siblings watched their older brother receive his robes before they moved off to Flourish and Blotts. Skylar immediately moved to look along the shelves and Leon followed her as Nicholas and his mother moved to the shop attendant to ask for the necessary books.

"I want a quidditch book!" Leon decided as his sister pulled a charms book off the shelf.

"They're over here." Skylar took his hand and led him over to a section before she looked at the spines of the books. Eventually she found one that was rather small and seemed interesting enough and handed it to his brother.

"Skylar if we get this will you read it to me?" Leon wondered

"Give it a bit and you should be great at reading anyway."

"I can't learn without help." Skylar couldn't argue with that.

"Skylar you can pick one book." the two turned to find their mother and Nick behind them with a few books in each of their hands.

"Can I have this one?" she asked holding it up. Her mother read the title before she smiled.

"I don't see why not."

"Mum can we get anything in Quality Quidditch Supplies?" Leon asked

"Possibly, why?"

"Because I want this if nothing else." the small five year old held up the Quidditch book.

"Awesome!" Nick grinned as he peered at it, his hands too full to take the book himself.

"It's academic at least mum." Skylar smiled. Her mother sighed.

"Well, I cannot argue with that. Come on." Skylar took Leon's book and followed her mother to the counter where they moved past a group of people looking for a book. They were clearly a family, each of them holding resemblance through their bright red hair. A women stood amongst them, she was plump and was very obviously going to be shorter than her sons who stood on either side of her. There were six children around the women, five boys and one girl. The oldest was short and stocky, his flaming red hair was longer than that of his brothers around him. He looked around the age of seventeen. Two of the boys were identical, obviously twins, and were balancing as many books as they could on one of their hands. They were shorter than two of the others and stockier, like the older boy with them, but still rather tall. They seemed around Nicholas' age. Another boy, who looked two years older than his twin brothers, was tall and lanky and had horn-rimmed glasses on his nose. Then there was the younger boy, like the one wearing glasses he was tall and lanky and looked around the same age as Skylar. He seemed bored being in the book store. The girl, with short red hair and holding her mother's hand was probably similar in age to Leon.

"Well, hello Molly." the plump women turned around as Skylar's mother addressed them, having also noticed the family of red-heads.

"Dominique." the women smiled before walking towards to kiss her cheek. "Buying the books as well?"

"Yes, more of your boys off to Hogwarts then?" Dominique asked

"Fred and George yes." Molly nodded pointing to them just as the books the twins were stacking wobbled.

"Mum…" Skylar mumbled worriedly, but Molly had already flicked her wand and the books her sons had floated up and back onto the shelves before she began to tell them off.

"Honestly you two! When will you learn to behave?" They just snickered.

"Nicholas is starting as well." Dominique pointed to him and he grinned.

"Ooh, Nicholas, how lovely to meet you." one of the twins said, mocking his name and bowing.

"George!"

"I'd say it's a pleasure." Nicholas responded, returning the bow and the twins stared at him for a minute before the three of them laughed. Molly sighed and so did Dominique.

"Got much more to do Molly?" she asked the women.

"Oh, just a little, two wands to get…" she looked exasperated at this revelation but her daughter frowned. Skylar was watching the women carefully.

"Mum, can I get one please?" The red-headed girl asked

"You're not old enough Ginny."

"I wish. The years can't go fast enough." Skylar frowned and Ginny nodded in agreement.

"When will you be going…?" the women looked like she was trying to remember the young girl's name.

"Skylar. Two more years!" she grinned

"Oh, you'll be going with Ron then." she pointed to the youngest brother. He smiled ever so slightly at her and Skylar beamed.

"Really!?" he nodded mutely

"That's great! I'm excited too." Skylar said and Ron looked quizzical as he had said or shown nothing about excitement and he glanced at his mother who smiled. Dominique sighed, giving her daughter a look the girl recognised all to well.

"We've still got a few visits yet to different places, Nathaniel still had to go to work unfortunately." Dominique brushed her daughter's hair.

"Yes so did Arthur." Molly nodded and glanced at them all around her.

"He been busy?" Dominique asked.

Fred and George had immersed themselves in a conversation with Nick about Hogwarts, the sorting, what houses they'd be in — apparently the twins were likely to be in Gryffindor as their entire family had been so far — and the teachers. Nick asked the two lots of questions as they'd already had, not just the two brothers who currently stood with them already at the school but apparently one more, who was the oldest of them all.

"How many brothers do you have?" Skylar as Ginny as she listened to them.

"Six." Ginny sighed and Skylar looked surprised

"How do you survive?" Ginny giggled and Skylar smiled as Ron scowled. "I'm only teasing." she assured him but he just turned his nose away and the two giggled some more. "Yes, you're the best one Ron, obviously." the Weasley's looked at Skylar slightly confused as Leon and her chuckled some more.

"So does your dad work at the Ministry?" Skylar asked and Ginny nodded

"Where?" Leon wondered and Ginny blushed at him before turning back to Skylar.

"He runs the Misuse of Muggle Artefacts office." she said

"Misuse of Muggle Artefacts? Like what?" Skylar wondered

"All kinds of things, apparently shrinking keys are a big deal." Ginny shrugged "Wizards bewitching Muggle objects for fun. And then they get sold to muggles when the witch or wizard moves on." Skylar frowned slightly.

"That sounds troublesome." Ginny nodded

"What about your dad?"

"Mum and dad are Aurors. Dad is currently the Head of the Department." Skylar smiled and Ginny looked at Dominique as though with new eyes. "Mum's a bit busy with us three at the moment though so she doesn't go in as much currently." Skylar admitted and Ginny nodded understanding.

"Mummy's the same with us."

"So you'll be joining ickle Ronnie-kins when he starts Hogwarts huh?" the twins and Nick had turned back to Skylar now.

"Alright, we'd better get moving, we've still got quite a bit to do." Dominique spoke up, catching the four younger redhead children's attention as well as her own.

"Mum can the Weasley's come with us?" Nick wondered

"Well considering you and the twins need your wands we can head to Ollivanders together if it's alright with Molly." Dominique allowed smiling. Molly smiled in return, but she didn't look very confident, in fact she looked ready to decline. Skylar frowned and looked at the redheaded children around her knowingly.

"They don't have to…" she said quickly and Dominique turned to give her daughter a stern look, Skylar was used to this look and she recoiled guiltily, lowering her gaze. The Weasley's shared a look as Dominique placed a hand on Molly's arm and gave her a reassuring look. Molly pursed her lips and Dominique gave her a look before the women seemed to give in and sighed.

"Well… I don't see why not, given that you two behave!" she snapped at the twins.

"Who us?" they chorused innocently. She gave them a narrowed look.

"We just need to pay for these books and we'll meet you just outside." Dominique promised and Molly nodded.

"Alright then, come on you lot." Dominique moved with her three children to the counter while Molly and her six moved outside.

"Skylar what have I said?" her mother demanded strictly.

"I know, I'm sorry, I can't help it." she frowned

"Doesn't mean you comment dummy." Nick said and Dominique shot him look this time as Skylar stuck her tongue out at her brother.

"I'm sorry Mum, I'll try harder." she promised and her mother nodded with a smile.

They met back up again with the Weasleys on the cobbled stone street outside the shop, to find that the two older boys had disappeared.

"Charlie has some supplies he needs to stock up on and Percy bumped into a few school mates." Molly explained "Charlie's second last this year, bless him. Was made Quidditch Captain you know." They began to follow the two women down the street.

"Know where he's heading when he's finished then?"

"Charlie's always liked the outdoors and magical creatures, took Care of Magical Creatures from his third year." Molly explained.

"Charlie's thinking of going to work with dragons." one of the twins told Nick.

"Are there dragons in Britain?" Leon asked

"Only on reserves in the country and wild ones. You can't have them as pets obviously." Skylar said

"Well there goes our pet plan for the future George." Fred sighed and his brother nodded solemnly.

"And I had the names all picked out." Skylar and Ginny giggled.

"That'd be awesome though if he did. Would you go visit him if he went elsewhere for them?" Nick wondered. The twins shared a fleeting look as they shrugged.

"If we do, we've got to see how close we can get."

"Just don't get burnt in the process." Skylar added

"You could get hurt!" Ginny squealed worried.

"Don't worry Ginny." one of the twins grinned at her "Charlie has to get into the field first."

"By the way, your mum's Dominique Fawley right?" Fred suddenly asked Nick, the three looked slightly confused where this was going. He nodded.

"Is it true she was close friends with Lily Potter?"

"Both our parents were close to the Potters. They went to school and grew up with them, mum was close to Lily and dad was best friends with James. The two almost grew up together, their families were close friends as well." Nick answered

"James is Nick's godfather and Lily became my godmother…" the small girl sighed. "Mum doesn't talk about it much though." Skylar frowned

"But if that's the case, do you know where Harry Potter is?" George asked eagerly.

"You know Harry Potter?" Ginny asked, her eyes wide.

"No." Skylar sighed "Apparently mum asked Dumbledore about him after what happened, where he was going and who'd look after him, because she's Harry's godmother, but he had already decided where Harry was going."

"He went to live with Muggles didn't he?" Ron joined in

"His Aunt and Uncle, Lily's sister and family apparently." Skylar nodded. "But we haven't been allowed to contact him or anything, Dumbledore said something about letting him grow up without all of this, seeing as he's famous. I've asked mum heaps of times if we could meet him and she said I'd have to wait till school started."

"He's going to Hogwarts?" Ron asked

"I'd assume so seeing as his family did." Nick said thinking.

"Ah well, it was worth asking." Fred shrugged to his twin.

"Come on you lot," Molly's voice reached the seven and they hurried along the cobbled stone street towards a narrow and shabby little shop. Peeling gold letters over the door read Ollivanders: Makers of Fine Wands since 382 B.C. A single wand lay on a faded purple cushion in the dusty window.

Dominique was already inside and Molly held the door open for the group before the bell tinkled as the door closed behind them. It was a tiny little shop that was empty besides a spindly chair which Ginny sat herself upon. The walls were lined and stacked with thousands of narrow boxes piled to the ceiling.

"Well, Mrs Weasley, good afternoon." the children all jumped as the two women turned to find an old man standing before them, his wide, pale eyes shining like moons through the gloom of the shop.

"Hello Mr Ollivander." Molly greeted

"And Dominique Fawley. It's been a while since I saw you in here." his voice was soft and hardly penetrated the silence that surrounded his shop.

"My eldest son needs his first wand Mr Ollivander." Dominique nodded. The man turned and his eyes set instantly on Nick. He smiled slightly. "Unless your boys would like to go first Molly." she said to her.

"It's probably best Nick goes first." she decided, the twins complained in protest but she silenced them as Mr Ollivander pulled out a long tape measure with silver markings from his pocket.

"Well young man, hold out for wand arm." Nick rose his right arm and the old man began to the measure different lengths; shoulder to finger, then wrist to elbow, shoulder to floor, knee to armpit and round his head. Mr Ollivander left the tape measure to it's own devices very soon and began to move around the shelves.

"You youngsters are aware of the cores used in wands I hope."

"Phoenix feather, unicorn hair and dragon heartstrings." Ginny piped up excitedly

"Very good young lady." Mr Ollivander nodded. Skylar was impressed as well as Mr Olivander had a pile of boxes in his hands and he moved over to Nick, he took one of the wands from it's box and handed it to Nick.

"Unicorn hair, nine inches, acacia." he said and Nick flicked it before Ollivander snatched it back.

"Dragon heartstring, thirteen quarter inches, yew." This one didn't seem to work either.

"Dragon Heartstring, ten and a half inches, rowan."

Nick was given two more wands before he held on in his hand that Ollivander seemed pleased with.

"Dragon heartstring, vine wood, 13 inches." he nodded. Nick stared at the wand before Ollivander put it in it's box neatly, and tied it together before his mother handed over the eight galleons for the wand.

Fred and George were next and they took much less time to get their wands than Nick did. Ollivander made a note about how their wands liked humour and mischief and Molly Weasley all but groaned at the fact.

The kids moved outside first, the two women addressing the wand maker, and the three boys marvelled at the idea of having wands and the twins were going on about the spells they needed to learn before they got to Hogwarts.

"After all it'll be no fun at all if we go knowing nothing to mess around with."

"As long as you're not expelled, mum would go ballistic." Ron said

"Don't worry Ickle Ronnie," Fred shoved his brother ever so slightly, the boy shoved him off annoyed.

Their mother's came out behind them and Molly counted the red heads before she gave the twins a few of the objects they'd already purchased.

"We still need to go to Amanuensis Quills, Potage's Cauldron Shop, Scribbulus Writing and the Apothecary at the very least." Dominique said thinking as she looked around.

"And the Emporium!" Skylar added hopefully.

"Alright, alright." Dominique smiled at her. "We'll see you later Molly."

"Thank you Dom." Molly smiled

"Any time." the women kissed her cheek before the auburn haired women lead her three children down the street.

"Skylar write to me!" Ginny called and Skylar grinned and waved.

"Promise!"

The family of four continued to buy Nick's supplies and they went into the Quidditch shop where all three were amazed and Nick tried to convince his mother to let him have a broom, despite not being allowed to take it to Hogwarts, but she reminded him he'd want something new in a years time. They had a difficult time dragging Leon from the shop as he wanted to just look at everything.

Skylar had been hard to convince out of not having a kitten, it was sleeping soundly amongst several others. Dominique had agreed to buying Nick his own Barn Owl to take to Hogwarts, as their parents owls were usually busy delivering to and from the Ministry.

It was past lunch time when they'd finished their shopping and the four moved back towards the fireplace, the children hungry and their legs beginning to give way. The fire was blazing and for a couple of knots they payed for a pinch of floo powder before the green fire flared and the four were pulled through the fireplaces until they appeared within their own kitchen where Midori was moving around and stopped at their arrival.

"Masters and Mistresses!" she bowed lowly at them smiling before they stepped out and their mother cleared them up with a flick of her wand. "Midori has lunch ready for your return."

"Thank you Midori." Dominique smiled

"I'm so hungry!" Leon moaned as he smelled the ranges of meats and cheeses that were being prepared for mountains of sandwiches that were being moved to the bench of the kitchen. Leon moved and grabbed one hungrily before his mother told him off for his manners. He was wise enough to finish his mouthful before he apologised.

Nick and Dominique placed their parcels on the bench as Skylar joined her younger brother and took a sandwich herself.

"Midori, could you take these up to Nicholas' room for him?" Dominique asked and the elf nodded before the packages rose up and with a crack they disappeared with the elf.

"I really wish I was going too." Skylar repeated again

"You've said that many times today Skylar." Nick admitted, slightly annoyed by this.

"Well being out and getting everything made me want to go even more." she admitted

"Those text books look really large though." Leon mumbled looking worried "Is it hard?"

"Depends how slack you are." his mother admitted. "If you work hard and stay on top of things it shouldn't be difficult at all." she promised

"What if I'm not good at being organised?" Leon worried

"Mummy will teach you, she's really good at it." Skylar smiled

"Well, when one of your parents are a Ravenclaw, that's usually the outcome." she nodded. After putting a few sandwiches on a plate, she left the kitchen for her study, planning on brushing up on some of the paper work sitting and waiting for her there.

"Nick you will write to us right?" Skylar asked her brother.

"Possibly." he shrugged

"You'll tell us about the sorting, and the teachers, and the classes, and Dumbledore, and the ghosts—?"

"Skylar we have a ghost remember." Nick sighed. One of their upstairs sitting room was haunted by one of their great ancestors, who'd insisted on staying in the Rosenwald estate to teach her descendants about their history properly. She was a proud pureblood, having learnt the lineage off-by-heart from a young age. She stayed mostly to the room, which despite having changed in decor and furniture, had once been her room.

"Yes but these ghosts will have experienced so many things!" Skylar believed looking amazed.

"Skylar if I tell you everything it'll be less exciting when you're time comes." Nick thought

"I don't know if that's possible, have you met our sister?" Leon mumbled and Skylar rose an eyebrow.

"Fine. Keep it all to yourself!" she snapped childishly before stomping her small form out of the kitchen, grabbing her new book as she went. She paused at the doorway however and glared at her brothers who suddenly cried out and groaned in disgust. The sandwiches in their hands transfigured into beetles that scuttled over their hands and caused them to jump around to rid them from their limps.

"Mum!" Nick shouted annoyed before Skylar moved from the room for the library. "Skylar did it again!"


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3:

Nick, Skylar and Leon were all within Nick's bedroom were a large trunk sat in the middle of the floor, several books surrounded it along with a cauldron, scales, potion supplies and many clothes, the new robes included. Nick's wand sat safely on his desk as the three were packing and repacking the trunk trying to figure out how to fit everything.

"You know Midori could do this with a click of her fingers and it'll fit perfectly!" Leon admitted

"But it's not nearly as fun as packing yourself!" Skylar believed as she stroked Mitchum's feathers. Nick had been given a stand for his owl, in which the cage hung from as well to keep the bird from feeling confined. The boy almost always had his window open, so that the owl could come and go as it pleased.

"Just think, this time tomorrow you'll be on your way to Hogwarts." Leon said before he looked thoughtful. "What are we going to do with you gone?"

"We'll find something." Skylar grinned as she sat herself back down beside the trunk.

"Have you packed yet Nicholas?" Nathaniel appeared in the doorway with a knock and sighed when he saw all the mess around the trunk which was mostly empty. "I see you've gotten far."

"We can't seem to fit it all right." Skylar shrugged.

"Well I can fix that." their father said as he raised his wand. The three shared a look, and looked like they were arguing. Nathaniel sighed and waited for his children before they shared a nod.

"Can you show us how to do it manually?" Nick asked and he looked at his children surprised.

"If you do it with magic we wont have anything else to do for the rest of the day." Leon confessed and their father chuckled before he walked in and kneeled himself down on the floor.

"Well when you put it like that." he picked up the robes that were neatly folded and lay them on the bottom first. "Flat things usually do better at the bottom, so books next."

The four of them manually packed the trunk with all of the things Nick would need, their father going over and checking they hadn't forgotten anything.

By the time they'd finished Midori appeared at the door with a crack and a knock to announce dinner was ready. Hungry, the three children followed their father down the stairs and to the dinning hall. They looked at it surprised as the table was covered in all sorts of foods as well as a large roasted bird. Vegetables such as beans, peas, potatoes, pumpkin, sweet potato, turnip, beetroot, carrot and brussle sprouts joined it as well as gravy, stuffing and a glorious pie that smelled like it contained apples and rhubarb.

"Seeing as Nick will not be back until Christmas at the earliest, a feast for us to enjoy." their mother announced as she sat at the head of the table opposite their father's usual seat. She flicked her wand and the food began to rotate, so that no matter where you sat at the table, you'd be able to reach everything.

"Curtesy of Midori obviously." Nathaniel pointed out as he took his seat. The three shared a grin before Nick sat on one side and Skylar and Leon sat on the other of the table. Their mother flicked her wand again and the meat was cut by a knife moving on its own before the pieces moved to everyone's plates. They helped themselves to the vegetables, gravy and stuffing before eating the food gratefully.

"Mum, dad," Nick spoke up after a lot of plate clinking and everyone glanced at him. "What would you do if I was sorted into Slytherin?" he suddenly asked and his siblings shared a look, as did his parents.

"What do you mean what would we do?" his father asked

"Nick, they're not going to disown you." Leon frowned and his brother shot him a quick look.

"Everyone knows it's the house for dark wizards." Nick said turning back to his dad, who glanced at his younger son.

"Slytherin is a house in which those who posses the traits of resourcefulness, cunning, ambition, determination, self-preservation, fraternity and cleverness are sorted. I'd be quite proud if you were chosen for such traits. And that's the same for any of the other houses." his father assured before chewing a potato.

"Although self-preservation sounds a little selfish…" Leon muttered. Nick shot him a look. "What? Skylar was thinking it." he pointed and Skylar looked at him annoyed.

"Nick is there something that brought this on?" Dominique asked her son carefully.

"It was just something Fred and George worried about fleetingly, they joked about how Percy would disown them and their father might have a heart attack and it got me thinking." he shrugged

"Do you think you'll be put into Slytherin?" Skylar asked

"I don't feel like a Slytherin…" Nick mumbled

"Then you've nothing to worry about." Leon smiled and Skylar nodded in agreement.

"It's not something you should worry about Nick, you'll make friends and you'll succeed no matter where you're placed. In the end it's your actions that show who you are not your house." his mother assured and Nick looked at her before nodding.

"I'm going to be a Gryffindor. Brave and courageous!" Leon decided as he held his fist in the air. His family members chuckled.

"Well you've got three years to become brave and courageous then." Nick pointed out and Leon scowled at his brother as the others laughed.

They finished the roast before digging into the pie.

"Mummy are we all going to Kings Cross tomorrow?" Skylar asked

"Well we can't let Nick go by himself." she smiled

"You don't all have to come." he said blushing

"We wont embarrass you." Skylar promised and he rolled his eyes.

"I want to see the Hogwarts Express!" Leon grinned

"In all it's scarlet glory." his father chuckled.

"Well, the train leaves at eleven o'clock so you'll need to be up early." Dominique warned

"How do we get there? Floo powder?" Skylar asked

"You can't Floo into Platform Nine and Three-Quarters." Nathaniel admitted

"We're going to Apparate to the station." Dominique said and the three shared a look, none of them really liked the feeling that came with Apparation, but they'd learnt to get used to it.

"Can we take the trunk and us with just the two of you?" Nick asked

"Don't worry, it'll be fine." his mother smiled.

The three had never doubted their mother but where still questioning the idea.

"But we'll leave early enough that if there are problems, you wont miss your train." Nathaniel assured his son.

"So you'll have to be up early if you're planning on joining us," Dominique told the two younger children. They shared a look determined before nodding.

"We'll be ready." they chorused.

"Well, early bed tonight then." Nathaniel grinned and the three groaned before Skylar stopped. Her brothers looked at her and she grinned at them before they did the same. The parents watched surprised as they finished their pie and cream before getting down from the table and all three ran for the stairs and disappeared into their rooms.

"I hate it when they do that." Nathaniel admitted and his wife chuckled.

"They get it from your side of the family." she reminded him and he sighed with a nod.

Midori woke up the three children the following morning, as they'd asked her to make sure they were awake in time. The younger two got dressed and washed while Nick checked over his trunk before beginning to heave it from his room and towards the stairs.

"Would you like a hand?" Skylar asked as she'd heard him heaving the heavy trunk.

"Well if you've got some of that natural non-wand using magic on hand," he sighed. Skylar frowned

"I've never done it on something so big." she admitted "But I'll try, just don't get angry at me if it falls down the stairs." Nick rolled his eyes and Skylar looked at the trunk before she pointed at it. The trunk wobbled slightly and the girl had her tongue between her teeth. The trunk lifted ever so slightly and then thumped back down onto the wooden floor and the rug that ran down it. Skylar looked irritated and she tried again but she couldn't lift the trunk.

"Nope, it's too heavy, I don't have enough juice." she said crossing her arms annoyed

"Enough juice?" Nick asked

"I'm nine Nick." she reminded him "Why don't you ask Midori to help?"

"Fine, Midori." the elf appeared with a pop.

"Yes Master Nicholas?"

"Could you help me with my trunk? I need to get it down the stairs." he admitted

"No worries Master Nicholas." and the elf clicked her fingers. The trunk lifted into the air and travelled down the stairs to sit in the foyer of the house.

Leon came running around the corner as he pulled on a jacket. The two watched as he stopped before them.

"Are we ready?" he asked

"Breakfast and I think we will be." Nick nodded. The three shared a look before they ran down the stairs for breakfast.

Their parents were already sitting and waiting for them, with breakfast of pancakes lining the table while their father read the _Daily Prophet._

"We almost thought you three weren't coming." he smiled at them.

"And miss the train!?" Nick asked shocked. The others chuckled before they ate their breakfast.

The five of them moved out the front door when breakfast had finished and Midori wished them safe travels. Dominique took her daughter and youngest son's hands while Nathaniel took Nicholas' and the end of his trunk. Nicholas released Mitchum from his cage and the owl soared into the air as the boy held the cage. The parents shared a nod before both turned on the spot and they were pulled through the squeezing pipe that cut off their airways, the children hung on tight to their parents hands before suddenly the pressure that had stopped them breathing momentarily, burst open and the parents grabbed their children to stop them from falling over as their feet were slammed into the ground.

"It never get's any better." Skylar gasped and her brothers nodded.

"Come on, let's go." Nathaniel called. He flicked his wand at the trunk and it became lighter before he took the handle and held it easily. The other four followed him out of the alleyway and then to the very busy road before them. King Cross station sat, tall and large, on the other side of the road. The group checked the traffic before they moved off over the road to the station. They found a trolley for Nicholas' trunk and empty cage.

"Will Mitchum know where to go?" Leon asked

"I told him to go to Hogwarts…" Nick mumbled

"Don't worry, owls are very smart." Nathaniel assured. He pushed his son's trolley through the station as the younger children looked around for the platform number.

"You know Nate, as Skylar and Leon start we wont be able to Apparate, we might have to take a car…" Dominique thought worriedly.

"Don't worry, I'll fix something with the Ministry to help." Nathaniel assured.

"Mum, where's the platform?" Skylar asked frowning. They'd arrived at platforms nine and ten of Kings Cross, but there was no Platform Nine and Three-quarters.

"It's a surprise," Dominique smiled. Nathaniel smiled back before he leaned down and whispered into Nicholas' ear. The boy eyes widened and he looked at his father as if he was mad. His dad nodded and Nicholas stared at the dividing barrier, he looked very unsure but he took the trolley from his father and moved to face it. The two younger siblings looked at their brother confused, they shared a look and then looked at Nicholas with a little more concentration. Both of them looked surprised before their brother suddenly ran at the barrier. He closed his eyes at the last second and suddenly, he disappeared into the bricks. He was just gone.

"Where'd he go!?" Leon asked.

Dominique chuckled.

"Come on, you want to see the train right?" she asked and the two nodded. They took their parents' hands and with them they followed their older brother and ran at the barrier.

Skylar couldn't help it and she shut her eyes as she ran.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4:

"Skylar, look." the girl opened one eye when they'd stopped running and she gasped surprised. A scarlet steam engine was waiting next to a platform packed with people. A sign overhead said _Hogwarts'_ _Express, eleven o_ _'_ _clock_. Behind them was a wrought-iron archway where the barrier had been, with the words _Platform Nine and Three-Quarters_ on it.

"Wow!" Skylar beamed and she and Leon looked amazed as their parents moved forwards to where Nick was standing waiting.

"Come on, we need to find you a compartment. It's easy to store your things in the compartment for the entire train ride." Nathaniel explained

"Finding an empty one can be difficult though." Dominique admitted and they began to move forwards.

Smoke from the engine drifted over the heads of the chattering crowd, while cats of every colour wound here and there between their legs. Owls hooted to one another in a disgruntled sort of way over the babble and the scraping of heavy trunks.

Skylar skipped along excitedly, looking around. She kept an eye out for the red hair of the Weasley family as she admired the steam engine.

The first few carriages were already packed with students, some hanging out of the window to talk to their families, some fighting over seats.

Their parents moved along a few before they found and empty one and Nathaniel levitated the trunk inside before Nick added the empty cage.

"Nick, did you tell the twins to find you?" Skylar asked as she jumped and tried to look over everyone's heads. In response her father lifted her up onto his shoulder. Skylar looked around until she spotted the flaming hair of Charlie Weasley, she looked near him before she noticed the twins, followed by Molly Weasley, Ginny, Ron and a man, who's hair, what was left of it, was as orange as his children though his head was balding. He was thin and wore glasses like his middle son.

Skylar wove her hand furiously through the air and one of the twins spotted it before Ginny started jumping up and down waving in excitement herself.

"You came!" Ginny grinned as she bound up to Skylar and pulled her into a hug when her father had put her down.

"Well of course, I had to see the Hogwarts Express! And get onto the platform! I've never done it before!" Skylar admitted.

"I've done it five times." Ginny admitted

"Well lucky you." Skylar said, her hands on her hips annoyed and Ginny giggled.

"Found a compartment then, excellent." the twins had caught up and began to heave their trunks to the compartment Nicholas' now resided in.

"Hold up boys, let me help." Nathaniel smiled and with a flick of his wand the two trunks followed Nathaniel's onto the train.

"Oh thank you Nathaniel." Molly Weasley and her husband had reached them through the crowd.

"Any time Molly, Arthur, how are you? Busy?"

"Well, with the schools going back, it might die down a little but you never know." Arthur Weasley said before he turned to Dominique. "Thank you so much for the twins' wands."

"Oh, they suited them perfectly didn't they." Dominique smiled "How are you Arthur?"

"I've been well. Yes, yes, very well." he nodded before looking at the three Rosenwald children.

"Ah! You must be Nicholas, Skylar and Leon, am I right?" he asked and they three nodded. "Arthur Weasley." he introduced.

"Pleasure to meet you sir." they said shaking his hand and he was very impressed with their manners.

"Got to the station alright?" Molly asked

"We apparated, of course when we have three children, three trunks and a few cages we wont be able to do that. Going to have to organise a car, hasn't been a problem till now." Nathaniel admitted

"Yes, our Ford Angelina is very helpful the last few years, Portkeys help as well. We took one today." Arthur nodded.

"It'd be easy if we could use the floo network." Skylar sighed

"Too right you are young lady." Arthur nodded "Molly tells me you will be starting school the same year as Ron?"

"Yes, in two more years I get to get on the train too." Skylar said looking at it. "I can't wait to see the castle!"

"Nicholas going to Hogwarts has gotten her so excited she's been reading a few books I didn't expect her to pick up." Dominique chuckled "She's all about spells our little girl, not usually for history."

"Only on the school." Skylar shrugged in which several chuckled.

A whistle blew through the station and suddenly people began to scramble onto the train of all ages.

"Quick! On to the train!" Molly ushered. "Fred, George, you behave yourselves now." she warned

"Write to us," Skylar said as she hugged her older brother. "Tell me all about it."

"I'll write Skylar." he promised, smirking.

"No don't wait a week!" she scolded "I want to know which house you're in the instant you're sorted."

"Skylar, I doubt I'll be able to tell you till maybe the next day, at the earliest." he said and she frowned.

"Come on Nick." Dominique called and he moved to hug Leon, his father and then his mother who kissed his forehead before he went onto the train with the twins, who'd already said good bye to their family members and climbed into the compartment.

Ginny and Skylar waved with Leon wishing more than anything that they were on the train as well.

"Don't forget Nick!"

"Tell us everything!" Leon called as the parents waited behind them, waving with the rest of the parents.

"We'll send you things to remind you of home!" Skylar promised as the whistle blew again and the train slowly began to move. The three walked along the platform before the train caught too much speed and they didn't bother to keep up.

The three watched until the train went around the corner and they could no longer see their brothers. Skylar slumped.

"Two years." she reminded herself

"For you, we have to wait three." Ginny frowned

"At least we don't have to share a year with them." Leon smirked and Ginny giggled as Skylar scowled.

"Aren't you excited to go Ron?" Skylar asked as they approached him

"Not really, it's only something everyone else has done already. Bill was Head Boy, Charlie's Quidditch Captain, what is there for me to do?"

"That doesn't mean it wont be fun." Skylar assured rolling her eyes. "Besides, you're your own person Ron, there's something only you can do you know." Ron looked at her before he smiled ever so slightly.

"Alright, come, better head home." Dominique said

"What do we do when we get there?" Leon asked

"How about eat lunch?" Nathaniel offered

"Ohh! Can the Weasley's come for lunch?" Skylar asked, taking Ginny's hand in her's.

"Oh, can we? Can we mum?" Ginny agreed. Molly looked at her husband and then at the Rosenwald parents. They chuckled and turned to the two.

"You're all more than welcome if you'd like." Nathaniel assured.

"We can ride some brooms, and play exploding snap, and—" Skylar began

"And chess!" Ron grinned

"Chess?" Skylar asked surprised

"You can play chess?" Leon asked looking excited "Can you teach me?" he asked and Ron looked surprised and then pleased. He turned to his parents as well.

"Can we go?"

"Well, oh alright," Mrs Weasley allowed and the four children cheered.

"I'll bewitch a Portkey for us all shall I?" Nathaniel smiled and he pulled from his pocket a simple book.

He tapped it with his wand, muttered and then held it out. The four children placed a finger on the book immediately before the parents did the same.

There was a second of nothing before suddenly there was a pull behind everyone's navel and they were yanked off their feet and into the air, their fingers seemingly glued to the book.

Suddenly their feet slammed into the ground and the four children were all knocked over and fell to the brick drive that was the Rosenwald household driveway. The parents stood chuckling at their children before Skylar and Leon got to the feet and brushed down their clothes.

Ginny and Ron however were staring up at the large manor before them shocked.

"This is your house?" Ron asked

"Yeah, it's a bit big," Skylar mumbled "But on the bright side we've got plenty of rooms for when people come to stay. Come on, I'll show you my room!" and she helped Ginny to her feet as Ron stood up and the two moved inside followed by the two boys.

"Skylar, why don't we give them a tour first?" Leon offered and Skylar grinned before she nodded.

"Let's start down here." and she dragged Ginny off towards the office. The two Weasleys stared at all the portraits on the walls, pointing out a few they recognised, surprised by some of the portraits the family had.

Leon and Skylar pointed out the studies, the sitting rooms, the ballroom and the library, which the Weasley siblings just had to see. They moved to the sitting room, dining room, kitchen and pointed out where doors went before returning to the foyer to go up the stairs and show the next floor. The Weasley siblings were more than surprised when they met the children's very great Aunt's ghost.

"When she passed they apparently tried to get her to move on but she just wouldn't budge. No one's bothered to move her from the house because she's so stubborn." Skylar admitted as Ron looked a little pale before he swallowed.

"We have a ghoul in our attic."

"Not much different really." Leon said and the children snickered.

They entered Leon's room. It was large, with a desk, cupboard, chest of draws, a book case that seemed to house children's books, comics and a few small quidditch objects like a set of the balls, a toy broomstick and a few figurines. The walls were decorated with different pictures and posters, a few of the Chudley Cannons quidditch team which Ron instantly got talking about to him. Apparently Ron was a big fan as well.

"His rooms so large." Ginny mumbled

"It's a large house, come on, mines next door."

Skylar's room was bigger again, and like her elder brother she had a double bed and her own desk. A shelf sat against the wall, full of her favourite books. She had a walk in wardrobe which her mother had filled with clothes, she was constantly fixing the sizes when Skylar grew out of the fabrics. She had more clothes than the boys did and also had a chest of draws. There was a dresser for her hair accessories and Ginny stared at it all surprised.

"It's so big."

"Being the only girl has its perks." Ginny giggled, nodding.

"Yeah, I'm similar. Mum always wanted a daughter, took her six tries." both of them were laughing. "Do you have to share a bathroom with them too?"

"Oh no, thankfully I get my own." Skylar admitted. "There's one next to Nick's room which the boys get and mines next to my room. There are enough for the boys to have their own, but the next one on our side of the house is too far for Leon to be bothered using."

"Lucky, we always share." Skylar put her hand on Ginny's shoulder.

"Feel free to run away to here if you ever get sick of it." Ginny laughed.

"Bloody hell." Ron and Leon were standing in the doorway.

"I know, I'm so jealous." Ginny sighed. Skylar giggled before she left the room and they showed them the last of the house.

"This place is huge, I'm surprised you don't get lost." Ron admitted

"It was so much larger when we were small, was sort of scary." Leon mumbled "But as we grow it's not so bad."

"What about the ghost, how'd you react to that when you were children?" Ron mumbled

"Well, mum and dad made sure to introduce us very early so we weren't scared. She also insisted that we learn about the Rosenwald family as soon as we could so…" Skylar admitted.

There was a crack and the two Weasleys jumped as Midori appeared.

"Lunch is ready for the Mister, Mistress and your guests." she announced

"Ginny, Ron, this is Midori, our house elf. Midori, this is Ron and Ginny." Leon introduced

"A pleasure to meet the Master and Mistresses friends." Midori bowed before she left with another crack.

"You have a house elf." Ron mumbled surprised

"Well, with mum and dad working and looking after us, they needed the help. House elves have always been in this house." Skylar admitted "They're always included in the family portraits even if the person doing the painting is unsure about it."

"That's lovely." Ginny smiled "Mum always said she'd love a house elf but…" she sighed

"Isn't that what she has six sons for?" Skylar asked and Ginny giggled

"Very funny." Ron mumbled annoyed

"Come on, let's see what Midori made today! She makes all our food unless mum's in the mood to do it herself." Leon grinned and he lead the way down the stairs to the dinning room.

"We only eat lunch in here when we have guests." Skylar admitted "But always breakfast and dinner."

"We're similar." Ron nodded "But we'll likely eat lunch together depending on what mum's making." Skylar nodded in understanding.

The four parents were already at the table waiting for their children

"Mum, this place is huge!" Ginny grinned "Skylar has her own bathroom."

"And they have a house elf! And a ghost!" Mr and Mrs Weasley were slightly surprised.

"She's an ancestor, she refused to leave." Nathaniel admitted.

When the four children were seated, they began to eat, and the two family's conversed happily until they were finished. The parents had some tea while the children ran upstairs to play some games.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5:

Breakfast was quiet as the four sat around one end of the dining table. The two youngsters were still in their pyjamas and Leon was gazing absentmindedly out the window.

"You know, at Hogwarts you wont be able to stay in your pyjamas." Dominique warned her children teasingly

"Better enjoy it then." Leon sighed dramatically, causing chuckles from his family members.

Midori entered the room and handed a letter to their father who, after wiping his hands on his napkin, opened it.

"Oh it's from Nicholas." he smiled and the two siblings gasped before scrambling down from their chairs and over to their father.

"What's is say!" they demanded and their father read it aloud.

 _Dear, Mum, dad, Leon and, of course, Skylar (yes I remembered to write),_

 _Hogwarts is amazing! The Castle is huge! There are so many portraits everywhere! Don't be surprised if you get notices of me being late to class, I'll definitely get lost. I don't know how they expect us to find anything in this place._

 _The train ride was long, but the Weasley twins are funny enough that the time passed quickly. It was dark when we arrived in Hogsmeade station. Then we were escorted by Hagrid! We went in boats across a lake and Hogwarts was standing on the hill. Looks smaller from the outside even if it is still big. I'm not going to tell you how we get sorted, I want to leave it a surprise, but it's not at all hard._

 _I was sorted into Gryffindor. Same with Fred and George —_

Skylar and Leon cheered before sharing a high five.

— _I'll send you a letter at the end of the week, so Skylar can find out what the classes and teachers are like._

 _Hope you're all well!_

 _Nicholas_

"Go go Gryffindor!" Leon cheered as he jumped around.

"That's my boy." Nathaniel nodded and Dominique smiled.

"I can't wait for him to come home at Christmas!" Skylar grinned

"What if he wants to stay at Hogwarts?" Nathaniel asked as he lay the letter down on the table.

Skylar and Leon shared a look.

"I think Nick will want to brag to us about all he's done and the friends he's made." Leon said looking a little annoyed. His sister nodded.

"I don't think he'd deprive us, not that he gets the option." she thought and their parents chuckled.

"Afternoon," Nathaniel walked into the library one evening to find his two younger children with books in their hands, Leon with a Quidditch book and Skylar with a spell book.

"How was work daddy?" Skylar asked

"Boring, all paper work today." he admitted "What you reading?"

"Charms, it sounds like so much fun! And transfiguration! And Defence Against the Dark Arts!" she listed

"What about the other subjects?" her father rose an eyebrow and she frowned.

"Well, they don't sound as interesting…" she mumbled

"With that attitude you might find it hard to succeed." he warned "The harder you try at the beginning, the easier it'll be later on." the girl sighed and nodded.

"So, I received an invite for Halloween." he said looking between them as Leon looked up from his book.

"An invitation?" he asked

"To Malfoy Manor." the two looked at one another with wide eyes, but not in surprise.

"Do we have to go?" Skylar asked frowning "Everything's so dark and cold."

"And Mr Malfoy's…" Leon trailed off

"We're not even really related to them." Skylar said "Aunt Yvonne said it was through a another relative and it was distantly…"

"Narcissa is cousins with Sirius Black, who's my cousin." their father said

"You're related to Sirius Black!" Leon asked

"Leon, don't you listen to Great Aunt Yvonne?" Skylar asked sighing

"No, she's a ghost." Leon mumbled

"He's not just my cousin, he was one of my best friends while I was at Hogwarts." their father admitted "Along with James, Remus and Peter."

"James Potter?" Skylar asked and he nodded "Is that how you and mum met?"

"In a manner of speaking, James was always dragging us over to Lily and her friends." Her father chuckled and she grinned.

"So the Malfoys are not even your cousins, let alone ours." Leon said "And they're not friendly, why do they invite us?"

"Lucius has always tried to fit himself in with those who he deems important." Nathaniel said "But it'd be impolite to refuse the invitation." the two kids groaned "And I'll have none of that either." he warned sternly.

Skylar and Leon shared a look as their father left the library.

"Great, this means I'll be expected to socialise with Draco." Skylar admitted

"He as bad as his father?" Leon wondered

"Not yet. Some of the things he says though…" she hung her head "And he'll be going to Hogwarts the same year as me."

"Better get used to him then."

"Well by the looks of it, he'll be in Slytherin and I hopefully will not be." Skylar said before she shut her book and walked out of the library.

Midori was pinning Skylar's hair as she sat at her dresser in royal blue dress robes. Glittery pins were being used by the elf and the girl was sitting straight, remembering her manners and posture. She didn't need to give the Malfoys any reason to ridicule her.

 _No more of these Malfoy parties when I'm at Hogwarts._ she reminded herself.

"There you are miss."

"Thanks Midori." Skylar smiled

"You ready dear?" Dominique poked her head into the girls room, wearing dress robes of silver. "Oh you look gorgeous." she smiled as she admired her daughter who got to her feet.

"Thanks mum, you look beautiful." she admitted

"Your father and brother are waiting downstairs." the girl nodded and with her hand within her mother's, they moved to join them.

"Now, best behaviour and if Draco does anything, remember, don't respond, its the response that he's looking for and that's why he does it." their mother warned.

The two nodded as they shared a look.

They exited the house and their parents took a hand each before they apparated.

They appeared in a lane, which was bordered on the left by wild, low-growing brambles, on the right by a high, neatly manicured hedge. The four moved along it before they turned right, into a wide driveway that led off the lane. The high hedge curved with them, running off into the distance beyond the pair of impressive wrought-iron gates, standing wide and open, welcomingly. The sun was only just beginning to set beyond the horizon as eventually they moved far enough down the drive that a handsome manor house grew out of the darkness at the end of the straight drive, lights glinting in the diamond-paned downstairs windows. Somewhere in the garden beyond the hedge a fountain was playing. Gravel crackled beneath their feet as they approached the front door.

Nathaniel knocked and the door opened to reveal a house elf.

"Welcome." he bowed to them lowly. He was wearing a dirty pillow case, had green eyes the size of tennis balls and bat like ears.

"Hello Dobby." Skylar grinned as they four walked into the hall. The hallway was large, dimly lit, and sumptuously decorated, with a magnificent carpet covering most of the stone floor.

Dobby the house elf took all of their cloaks and they hung up with a click of his fingers before he scurried down the hallway. It was covered in portraits with pale faces, who's eyes followed the group. There was a heavy wooden door leading into the next room which opened with a click of the house elf's fingers. The room was filled with witches and wizards, even a few younger children, wearing elaborate robes and the adult holding glinting glasses of liquids. Dobby bowed to them as they entered and the door closed behind them, the elf disappearing behind it.

The drawing room was a widely proportioned room. Probably the grandest room of the house, it had ceilings 30 feet high, two chandeliers, and a pipe organ at one end. There was a handsome, ornate marble mantelpiece with a gilded mirror which had an intricately scrolled frame on top. Furniture littered the walls for seats and tables in which a few empty glasses sat upon. If Leon looked carefully he noticed Dobby popping in and out collecting the empty and dirty utensils, plates and glasses.

Very quickly a man with a very pale and pointed face moved over to them. His eyes were cold and grey and his hair was pale blond.

"Nathaniel, glad you could make it." Nathaniel shook the man's hand.

"Thank you for the invitation Lucius." Nathaniel was missing some of the warmth he usually had. Skylar and Leon shared a look as they noticed it and Lucius addressed their mother before turning to them.

"Skylar, Leon, welcome."

"Thank you for inviting us Mr Malfoy." Skylar said smiling.

"Draco is over with Crabbe, Goyle, Pansy, Daphne and Astoria." he pointed and she followed to notice the group. Skylar resisted the urge to scowl and nodded to the man. Lucius dragged their parents off to socialise, some of the guests being work colleagues while Leon looked at his sister.

"Do we have to?"

"We have to at least say hi, it's polite." Skylar said and she lead the way over to the group.

Pansy noticed her first.

"Skylar." she grinned but there was something about it that Skylar saw was somewhat forced. Pansy always acted nice around Skylar, she wasn't sure why considering Draco seemed to give Skylar more of his attention then he did to Pansy when at these functions.

"Pansy." Skylar nodded "Draco, Vincent, Gregory, Daphne, Astoria." she nodded

"Skylar, Leon. We were wondering if you'd be coming." Daphne admitted

"Father decided it was best." Skylar shrugged

"Where's Nick?" Vincent Crabbe asked as he looked around.

"He started Hogwarts." Leon said simply

"Which house was he sorted into?" Pansy asked immediately. Her eyes were slightly narrow as she stared at Skylar. The girl's face slowly became a glare.

"The one you like the least Pansy, Gryffindor." she responded. They all shared a look and Leon looked at Skylar, slightly annoyed. "Unlike your parents mine aren't descendants of Slytherins."

"No their Hufflepuffs." Pansy smirked and Daphne chuckled as she giggled.

"And Gryffindors and Ravenclaws." Skylar corrected "I have more diversity then simply covering my own ass like Slytherins." Pansy scowled and she turned to stomp off.

"Apparently they're childish as well." Skylar added and the boys were chuckling at Pansy's actions as the two sisters rolled their eyes.

"I doubt I'll be going to Hogwarts, father wants to send me to Durmstrang instead." Draco spoke up. He was much like his father, with pale blonde hair, cold grey eyes and a pointed face, making him almost identical. "Mother's not convinced, she doesn't want me to go so far."

Crabbe and Goyle shared a look. Both of them were much less than bright and just followed Malfoy when ever they could. They were a lot like his body guards.

"Would Crabbe and Goyle follow you?" Skylar asked as Leon tried not to laugh.

Malfoy shrugged.

"Will you be able to survive without? Durmstrang's for dark people after all." Skylar reminded him. Malfoy looked at the two fleetingly but did not respond.

"I'm rather excited to go to Hogwarts." Skylar shrugged "Regardless of it's ideals, it's regarded the best school in at least Britain."

"It's under the head of that Muggle loving—" Draco began

"Doesn't matter what he thinks or does, Dumbledore is still the greatest wizard currently around and I'd like to learn as much as I can from someone that powerful." Skylar explained "I'd rather get the best I can in order to help carry on the Rosenwald Legacy."

Daphne and Astoria shared a look as Crabbe and Goyle had their usual blank expressions. Draco was looking Skylar up and down as Leon had his mouth covered.

"Think you'll be in Gryffindor like your brother?" Daphne asked

"I'm not sure." Skylar admitted "Could be put anywhere obviously. Especially with such diversity in my lineage."

"I think you should care more about being taught by an oaf." Draco sneered "He gives wizards a bad name."

"Pretty sure out of all the wizards, Albus Dumbledore is the least to disgrace the name." Leon pipped up and Draco looked down on him.

"Don't Draco." Skylar warned and he looked at her "You even think about it again—"

"What has your mother told you about doing that?" Draco snapped at her

"Just because my family happens to have a powerful ability behind them, doesn't mean you can show your jealousy of it Draco. What's your family got to their name besides money?"

"We're proud, pure-blood, Slytherins." Draco added

"Hardly anyone cares about that. What are the Malfoys all famous for?" Draco narrowed his eyes "Besides, I can't really help it, I'm still learning. Father's planning on talking to the school about helping us with it." she looked at Leon who nodded.

"How does it even work?" Daphne asked interested

"I basically dive through your memories and interpret what I find to your thoughts." Skylar explained "Most have to learn it."

"You're family's born with it though aren't they?" Astoria grinned and Leon nodded.

"All three of us can do it, but Skylar seems to have the biggest knack for it. The three of us can do it to one another without any problems, but Skylar does it best to others." Leon explained his sister shrugged

"What even is it?" Draco questioned, seeming annoyed. He didn't like that he didn't understand half of the conversation.

"Legilimency." Skylar said obviously. "My family's known for their skilled legilimens." Draco was still sneering and he turned to walk away from the girl, Crabbe and Goyle quickly following.

"You know, I don't think anyone gets under his skin like you do." Daphne admitted

"I'm okay with that." Skylar nodded before the girls giggled.

"Come on, it's best you say hi to my parents or they'll say to yours that you were hostile." Daphne decided and Astoria nodded before they led the way around the large drawing room.

Skylar and Leon had met the Greengrass parents before. They were stern and proud like most parents but absolutely adored Astoria. This was because Astoria had a medical condition that no one could cure, so they doted upon her. Daphne in response was not very courteous to her parents but Astoria loved her big sister.

Skylar and Leon were polite to the parents as they had been taught to be. Unlike most purebloods the Rosenwalds were rather happy a family and not as prestiges and stuck up, they didn't have the view of purebloods being better and more superior, or of Muggle-borns being disgraces and unworthy. But despite this, there were still some expectations, and the children had never wanted to embarrass their parents.

Once they started greeting adults, it seemed they couldn't stop, many came up to talk to them from the different families. The Prewetts, the Fawleys, the Parkinsons, Narcissa Malfoy, Draco's mother, and many others. They eventually made it back to their parents who were standing with some Ministry officials in which they were introduced.

"Dad, how long are we expected to stay here?" Skylar asked quietly as the wizards talked to themselves for an instance.

"It'd be inappropriate to leave early." he responded

"Since when did you worry?" Leon asked confused and his father chuckled.

"Lucius does hold some high cards, we don't want to give the wrong impression." he admitted

"You hold some high cards as well." his wife reminded him with a raised eyebrow.

"We'll leave soon." he promised. Leon and Skylar sighed.

Soon turned out to be longer than the two liked. Eventually the music was turned up and dancing began instead of just chattering. Skylar assumed this was because everyone had arrived and the introductory formalities had finished.

She glanced around and noticed Narcissa talking to Draco, he didn't look happy and she looked stern but regardless she gave him a nudge and he moved over to her. Skylar watched as he held his hand to her.

"I think Pansy would be better company." she admitted but he just avoided her gaze. Skylar glanced at her father and he gave her a look, making her sigh.

The young girl took his hand.

Leon had asked Astoria to dance, making sure it was okay with her parents first because of her health.

Skylar had to admit, she had quite a bit of fun, she almost thought she saw Draco smile slightly during the ordeal as well. He had just spun her when her father tapped the nine year old boy's shoulder.

"May I?" he asked and Draco looked disappointed but he nodded mutely and walked off. Skylar grinned and her father danced her around, causing the girl to giggle before they stopped on the outskirts.

"Alright, ready to go?" Skylar yawned in response. Her father chuckled before Dominique approached them, carrying a dozing Leon.

"Apparation will be unpleasant for him." Skylar mumbled and her parents chuckled.

They approached Lucius and with Leon dozing the man didn't argue with them leaving, he didn't even sneer. Narcissa moved to thank them from coming and nudged Draco, who bowed to Dominique and Skylar and shook Nathaniel's hand respectfully.

They left the drawing room and Dobby was there to return their cloaks and they went outside with a wave at the house elf.

They left the manor, walked down the drive and Nathaniel took his daughter's hand before the two parents spun on the spot and they headed for home.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6:

"Molly's invited us to Christmas dinner." Dominique smiled as they sat in the lounge room. Skylar and Leon were playing chess on the floor, while Nathaniel filled in some paper work and Dominique was going through the mail, brought in by Midori a few moments earlier.

"Really?" Skylar asked grinning as Leon's queen demolished one of her rooks. She didn't even notice, nor was her attention upon the chess game anymore.

"What do you think dear?" Dominique asked her husband, looking over her children's heads as they looked at her expectantly.

"I think it'll be good. Nick can spend some more time with his friends, and so can Skylar and Leon."

"Mummy can we please go?" Skylar asked and Leon nodded

"I want to play Ron at chess." he grinned

"Think it's decided for you Dear." Nathaniel chuckled and the two beamed at one another.

"Dad, when does Nick get home?" Skylar asked

"Just before Christmas Eve." he responded "Until after New Years."

"I can't wait! I want to hear everything."

"I want to know about the Quidditch teams." Leon agreed

"I think all you think about is Quidditch." Skylar grinned

"Coming from the girl who becomes the loudest in the stands." Leon reminded her. She shrugged

"I'm a passionate person."

"Well we'll have to go into Kings Cross to collect Nick, but I think this time I'll go by myself." Nathaniel was instantly met with protests by his children.

"You can come at the end of the year, and really, what is the difference between now and then?" Skylar and Leon shared a disappointed look but didn't argue with their father.

Despite this both children were up in time to see their father depart. They had breakfast and got dressed rather slowly before the two children moved to sit in the foyer in waiting.

They heard the pop of their father's arrival before he entered the house and when the door opened both children ran at their older brother and hugged him.

"Nick!" the older boy chuckled and patted both his siblings as his father moved the trunk in behind them, it was hovering in the air and the man had his wand pointed at it.

"Midori!" the elf appeared instantly. "Will you take Nick's trunk upstairs?" Nathaniel asked. The elf bowed and the trunk moved up the stairs with the elf following.

"How was it?"

"What's it like?"

"How many ghosts are there?"

"What's your favourite class?"

"Who's the best teacher?"

"What's Quidditch like?"

"Did you get lost?"

"How many friends did you make?"

"Did you see Dumbledore?"

The two younger siblings bombarded their brother with questions before he told them to shut it. The two pursed their lips and shared a glance.

"Come on, I'll tell you everything." he grinned.

Nick told his sister, brother and parents about how he got lost to almost every class in the first week along with the Weasley twins, how they'd met a boy named Lee Jordan who had dreadlocks even at the age eleven. He admitted they'd gotten into trouble with Filch, the caretaker of Hogwarts, already and his mother scolded him but let him continue talking. Skylar noticed something cross her brother's mind as he spoke, but glancing at her mother, father and brother, none of which seemed to have noticed what she had. She decided to leave it to ask about later.

Nicholas admitted to Defence Against the Dark Arts was his current favourite subject, though Professor McGonagall, who was also the head of Gryffindor and Deputy Headmistress, taught transfiguration which was also a good subject.

"And Professor Flitwick is a tiny man, he needs books on his chair to see over his desk." Nick said and he and his siblings laughed as their parents smiled fondly at the memory of the small wizard.

There were more than a dozen ghosts, each house had their own to represent them.

"We have Sir Nickolas, who's also known as Nearly Headless-Nick. But he doesn't like being called that much." Nicholas said.

Gryffindor Common room was in a tower like Ravenclaw while Slytherins were in the dungeons and Hufflepuff by the kitchen in the basement. Apparently, Nick, Fred and George had made it their mission to explore every inch of the castle. House elves apparently filled the kitchens and kept the castle in order although the really heavy messes were left to the caretaker Mr Filch, a very sour man.

"Pretty sure he's a squib actually…" Nick added.

Nick confessed to his parents that his grades were rather good and that he'd been having private lessons to learn to control his Legilimency and was learning Occlumency.

"Can you teach me?" Skylar asked excitedly

"I can tell you what I've been told…" he shrugged and she nodded eagerly.

Nick had a long conversation about the Quidditch matches, apparently there had been two matches so far.

"First game was Slytherin vs Gryffindor, which Gryffindor won. Charlie Weasley is amazing! He plays seeker. Then Hufflepuff vs Gryffindor, which Gryffindor won again. But we really need more house points in order to catch Slytherin, they're winning so far. Apparently they've won the house cup for several years in a row despite not winning the Quidditch cup. Doesn't help that Snape takes points from every house but Slytherin for no reason." Nick complained and went on to tell them about how the man favoured his house and made his subject of potions one of the worst. This didn't stop the Weasley twins from messing with him though. Dominique made a mention about how the boys sounded like bad influences. Nick shrugged and said they were fun and still managed to move through their homework.

"Well did Fred and George tell you we've been invited to their home for Christmas?" Skylar asked and Nick looked surprised.

"No."

"They probably weren't aware at that point." Dominique smiled

"Really? We're going?" Nick asked

"Well why not?" Skylar wondered grinning. Nick returned it.

"Did anything else happen?" Leon wondered and Nick thought before glancing at Skylar who cocked her head to the side in question.

"I'm sure there'll be more to tell later. Oh! Percy Weasley is a real bossy boots, all he does is tell everyone off. Such a goodie-too-shoes" Nick rolled his eyes "It's amazing how different he is to the twins and Charlie."

"Guess someone's got to be the stick up." Leon laughed

"There are a lot of them." Skylar nodded

"When are we leaving for the Burrow then?" Nick asked

"The Burrow?" Skylar asked

"That's what their house is called." he nodded

"That's so nice." the girl thought.

"Christmas morning. We're going to use the floo network." Dominique smiled

"Oh I can't wait!" Skylar grinned

"Come on, I have some things I want to show you." Nick admitted to his siblings before he got to his feet. His sister and brother shared a look before getting up and following. The three all ran up the stairs and to Nick's room.

"So, Fred, George and I got detention with Filch and were in his office for Dungbombs."

"You set off dungbombs?" Leon asked grinning

"Well…" Nick mumbled before he shook his head.

"Where'd you even get them?" Skylar wondered surprised

"Joke shop in Diagon Alley, the twins got them. Brilliant idea though." Nick smirked "Anyway we saw this draw that was labeled 'Confiscated and Dangerous' and the twins decided to steal something from inside. They set off another dungbomb for a distraction, nabbed a really thick piece of parchment that was completely blank and after a while, we figured out how to work it."

"The piece of parchment?" Leon asked confused, sharing a look with Skylar who shrugged.

"It wasn't a piece of parchment, it's a map that disappears and reappears when you tap it and say a spell."

"A map?" Skylar asked

"It's a map of Hogwarts. And it shows everyone inside it, what they're doing, when they're doing it, every minute, of every day." he said grinning. The two stared at him.

"What?"

"It was created by five people, I'm assuming students once upon a time." Nick continued

"Five people? Who?" Skylar wondered

"Mooney, Wormtail, Sabre, Padfoot and Prongs." Nick grinned and stared at Skylar who blinked before her eyes widened.

"Sabre?" she asked and her brother nodded. "But that's dad's nickname!" he nodded again as Leon looked confused.

"Dad has a nickname?" he asked

"Yeah, to match his animagus." Nick explained

"I didn't know that?"

"That he was an animagus or he had a nickname?" Skylar wondered

"Well of course I knew he was an animagus, he used to let me ride him around as a child, he's so big after all." Leon grinned and the two nodded. "I didn't know he had a nickname for it though."

"Well, Dad told me that they all did, to match their animals. I never knew what the other names were but considering that's dad's name and he had four other friends…"

"Dad made a map of Hogwarts?" Skylar grinned before she looked confused "Why didn't you tell him?"

"You have any idea what he might do if he found out?" Nick wondered "He'd probably confiscate it."

"Well what do the twins think?" Leon asked

"I didn't tell them about it. They've got it, being the bigger troublemakers." Nick shrugged

"That's so cool." Skylar though before she giggled. "Should we tell the twins?"

"Narr, I'm not sure if dad got himself registered as an animagus, and all animagus' are supposed to be known by the ministry so…"

"Don't want to get him into trouble…" Skylar mumbled and Leon nodded.

"I wish I could do something like that." Leon mumbled

"What? Make an awesome map of a castle and all it's inhabitants movements, or be an animagus?" Nick asked grinning

"Both."

"No one said you couldn't." Skylar shrugged

"Being an animagus isn't easy." Leon reminded them

"Dad managed it." Nick smirked

"Only took him three years." Skylar shrugged sarcastically

"I dunno…" Leon said sighing sadly

"Well what else would you do?" Nick asked and both siblings sighed, unsure.

"Well we have to do something to pass dad." Skylar decided

"He created a map and became and animagus while still at school, how do you surpass that?" Nick asked

"Plus James was a Quidditch star. And Head Boy." Skylar remembered

"And Remus was a prefect."

"And Lily. She was Head Girl too."

"You know this isn't helping." Leon interrupted his siblings, causing them to turn to him.

"We'll think of something, it'll remind dad of the old times." Nick thought

"He's still got Remus for that." Skylar admitted

"Why doesn't Remus stay with us?" Leon wondered

"He thinks it's too dangerous for us, though mum and dad have offered it more than enough times." Nick admitted

"They instead offer him financial aid as he can't get a job." Skylar sighed "Which I guess is enough for now."

"I wish he'd visit more often though." Leon mumbled and the two nodded.

"Maybe we could send him and owl, invite him over during the summer?" Skylar offered. "That way he can see you too Nick." the older boy nodded. "Until then, we need to go shopping, I want to get everyone a Christmas present." Skylar beamed.

The two nodded and the three ran down stairs. They moved from the stairs and down the hallway until they entered their mother's study.

"Mum, can we go and buy the Weasleys presents?" Leon asked as their mother looked up at them from the papers she'd started organising. Dominique paused and she looked at her three children, clearly thinking carefully.

"You know, the Weasleys are more appreciated to home made things, rather than expensive gifts." she said carefully and the three shared a look.

"What could we make?" Leon asked.

"Could be anything." Dominique shrugged "In the end it's the thought that counts after all."

The three walked out of the office thinking.

"We also have to do it by hand." Nicholas admitted "I wouldn't know any spells to help even if I could."

"What do you get a household full of wizards?" Skylar asked frowning, unsure.

"Do you think Midori could help?" Skylar asked and the three nodded before they ran for the kitchen.

"Midori! We need your help!"

The elf paused surprised as the three children burst into the kitchen. She was bustling around getting the children's dinner ready. She stared at the children as they stood before her.

"We want to make something for the Weasleys," Leon began

"For Christmas." Skylar added

"And mum said we should make something." Nick said

"But we have no idea what to make." Skylar said frowning. "Would you have any idea?" she wondered

Midori looked at them before she began to think.

"It needs to be special and useful." Leon believed

"And unexpected."

"Wont giving them a gift be unexpected?" Skylar offered

"At Christmas time?" Nick rose an eyebrow at her

"Doesn't mean they expect us to do anything." Skylar shrugged.

They three turned back to Midori again and she smiled at them.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7:

The sun began to rise up over the horizon in the morning, the beams shone on the Rosenwald estate. Lights decorated the trees and the bushes, the house had been decorated up, with stars hanging from the hallway ceilings and tinsel covered the tops of the window sills. The dining room had fake snow falling from the ceiling which melted before touching the table. The main living room had a beautiful Christmas tree set up in it, decorated in ball-balls, tinsel, lights and stars. A mound of presents sat below this in all different coloured wrappings and ribbons. The kitchen was decorated in figurines and more snow and tinsel. The entire house was decorated in holiday cheer, right down the banisters being wrapped in tinsel.

Skylar was first to wake from within the tightly decorated house, all decorated by Midori. Her room was dark due to the drawn curtains, though the light streamed in through the gaps between them. The darkness didn't hide the lump at the base of Skylar's overly large bed however. She grinned at it before crawling across the white duvet covers, and seizing the lump. It was her stocking and was large, lumpy and bulky. Grinning, she pulled it towards her and, not bothering to worry about the lack of light, she tipped it upside down.

Lots of parcels tumbled along the blankets and she began to turn them over.

Most of the items were sweets. Bertie Botts Every Flavoured Beans, Chocolate Frogs, Liquorish Wands, Pumpkin Pasties and Custard Tarts. There was a new quil with some ever changing ink, a new bracelet, some bath bombs that were filled with liquid potions, each doing something different to the water, and some of Flubber Busters fireworks.

Skylar grinned before she climbed off of her bed. Skylar moved off from her room and down the corridor. She moved to the door beside her's and opened it. This room wasn't dark anymore, the curtains had been thrown open and the sun blinded Skylar for a moment. The hallway was still dull, the sun being on the other side of the house.

Sitting on the bed was Leon, he looked up at his sister and grinned. Skylar rose her eyebrows as she saw her brother had chocolate around his mouth.

"Merry Christmas Skylar!" he grinned.

"Are you eating chocolate already?" she asked him and he just grinned some more "We haven't even had breakfast yet."

Leon shrugged in amusement as someone yawned from beside Skylar. She looked up and found Nick beside her, rubbing his eyes.

"I feel it's too early to be up, why are you awake?" he asked drowsily

"Why are you awake?" Skylar asked in response. Nick looked down at her before realising he didn't have much of an answer.

Leon climbed down from his bed and over to his siblings grinning.

"Have we seen the tree?" he asked. The three shared a grin before they dashed down the hallway and off down the stairs. Entering the main living room showed them the giant Christmas tree, highly decorated. Below it were boxes and boxes of presents. The three grinned in excitement.

"Should we go see mum and dad?" Nick offered. Skylar and Leon shared a look.

"It might be a bit early." Skylar thought, pursing her lips.

"But Midori will be awake!" Leon grinned.

The children moved again and this time to the kitchen.

It already smelled of beautiful delicious smells that made the children's mouths water.

The elf, with her big bat ears and bright brown eyes was moving through the kitchen in as perfect harmony as the tools flying around her head. The usual white cloth the house elf wore was gone and replaced with a piece of red, to fit in with the holiday spirits. She'd put a reef over her head, pulling her ears through the top to let it sit properly.

"Merry Christmas Midori!" the three children chorused and the elf turned to them with a smile. She then curtseyed lowly.

"Merry Christmas Misters and Mistress." she responded. "Breakfast will be ready soon."

"I guess we can go see mum and dad then." Skylar grinned before being the one to lead her brothers back up the stairs.

They ran to their parents door before pausing. Skylar took the doorknob and opened it ever so slightly so that the three could poke their heads in.

The room was one of the largest in the house, along with the ballroom, the kitchen, the library and one of the larger lounge rooms. It had a fireplace beside the door, a few chairs before it and a table for when the two parents did some late night work. A large chest of draws sat just beyond this on the right wall, many things sat atop if it, mostly seeming to belong to Nathaniel. Opposite this on the left wall was large dresser with an overly excessive mirror. Perfumes and boxes of jewellery belonging to Dominique littered this. Beside that were two doorways, one in the far corner lead to a large walk in wardrobe, split just out of balance of being in half with Dominique possessing most of the space. The other door lead to a large bathroom, possessing a spa bath.

The bed sat at the end of the room and opposite the fireplace and chairs. There was a large wooden chest at the end of it and the bed itself had a large elaborate headboard.

The two parents were inside and still fast asleep. The three children shared a look before Skylar tiptoed her way in, the boys following, and climbed onto the bed. Skylar crawled her way between her parents and snuggled under the covers with them. Leon climbed up beside her and their father and the two grinned at one another. Nick shook his head as he sat on the chest and the two children couldn't help but giggle with one another.

"I think we have some stowaways." Nathaniel mumbled, making his children laugh some more.

"I thought they were toys?" Dominique responded as she pulled her daughter close, who chuckled. She then started laughing furiously as her mother tickled her. "Oh, you're right." Dominique smirked, opening one of her eyes and smiling.

"Morning dad." Nick smiled and his father turned to flash him a grin.

Skylar and Leon were still giggling as their parents sat up. As if on cue, Midori came into the room and opened the parents curtains. Sunlight streamed in and the parents blinked a little before mugs were put on each of their bedside tables, steaming hot tea inside them.

"Oh thank you Midori." Dominique smiled

"Always knows what to do." Nathaniel nodded as he leaned for his cup.

The children watched their parents as they each took a sip and sighed contently.

"So, to what do we owe the pleasure of your early morning visit?" Dominique asked smiling.

Skylar and Leon looked at her with open mouths.

"It's Christmas!" they chorused

"Really? Is it?" Dominique asked teasingly and her children poked their tongues out at her.

"Well, did you open your stockings?"

"I got Quidditch things!" Leon beamed

"Great," Skylar said whispering to her mother "His room's gonna end up all orange." her mother chuckled. Leon nudged her side and she giggled.

"Mine was filled with some honey dukes specials and some interesting gadgets from Zonko's Joke Shop by the looks of it. Someone did some ordering." Nick smirked. The four stared at him before sharing looks.

Nick smirked as they all looked worried.

"Let's never be with him alone with the twins." Skylar said and Leon nodded in agreement.

"What about you Skylar?"

"I got lots of lollies." she grinned and everyone chuckled.

"Guess you all got your fill." Nathaniel smiled and the three shared a look before they all got up.

"Mum, dad, hurry up, or we're opening the presents without you." Skylar said before she and her brothers marched from their room smartly, their parents chuckling.

Nick sat himself in a chair while Skylar and Leon sat on the floor. Their parents sat themselves down the couch and Leon reached for the first present. The small boy began to hand out the different wrapped objects to his family and the two siblings ripped the papers off as their parents smiled. Leon paused here and there to open his own before he opened a toy broomstick.

Skylar took handing out the presents as Leon climbed onto the wooden object and began racing around a few feet from the floor. It didn't take him long to disappear out of the room and go racing up and down the hallways.

Skylar received a few new books along with some new clothes and perfume that smelled so divine it had to be a special made potion. Nick got a single book, as well as some joke items, some clothes, a large box with a pair of sneakers — which Skylar secretly believed were not ordinary — and some Quidditch supplies like his brother. Several family friends and family had sent them gifts and items in which the children admired and looked over for a while before their house elf moved into the room.

"Would the family wish for Midori to bring Breakfast into the lounge?" she offered. The two children looked at their parents who shared a look.

"Well I don't see why not, just this once." Nathaniel smiled and Midori nodded.

"Don't forget to let Leon know," Skylar added quickly

"Yeah if you can get him off that broomstick." Nick rolled his eyes.

Midori walked back in a few moments later with several trays following behind her. They each settled down in front of the family members before the elf went to collect Leon. He skipped into the room with his broomstick in hand, placing it carefully beside his chair before taking the tray into his lap. The family had scrambled eggs, bacon, chipolatas, smoked salmon and avocado covered in sauce and served with roast and pumpkin juice.

After breakfast the children lugged their gifts to their room, Leon dumping his and getting right back on his broom as Skylar organised the new items in her room and Nick organised them on his desk for later, sneaking a chocolate frog.

"You'd better all get dressed and ready, we'll be leaving for the Weasley's soon!" Dominique's voice sounded up through the house to the three.

Skylar grinned and instantly got dressed, going into her giant wardrobe to decide on something. She ended up picking one of her new dresses, midnight blue and white boots to match. She moved through her many hangers and put on a matching travelling cloak around her shoulders, silvery grey in colour and pinned it together below her chin with a silver clasped shaped like a rose. She moved to her vanity and grabbed some pins with blue sapphires on it to her hair, pulling back the one side of her curls before she moved to her desk. Sitting upon it was a box, wrapped in wrapping paper, and she picked it up carefully.

Opening her bedroom door she stopped and poked her head out in time for Leon, still in his pyjamas, to race past laughing.

"Leon! You need to get dressed." she called after him. He just laughed as he pulled the broom in a tight curve at the end of the hall and raced back off again. Skylar looked after her brother annoyed before her eyes narrowed. Leon looked down at his broom confused as it began to slow down at the top of the stairs. He looked at it with both dismay and uncertainty before it came to a complete stop and dipped forwards. Leon let out a cry as he toppled forwards and to the floor before the broom raced back off.

Leon, throwing his dressing gown back over his head in order to see, turned to see the broom beside his sister.

"Skylar!" Nick poked his head out of his room to see the commotion as Leon got up in frustration.

"We're going to the Weasley's, you need to get ready. Or do you want to go in your pyjamas?" she asked annoyed as the broom stood upright beside her by itself.

"Don't spell my broom!" Leon said angrily

"I didn't spell it." she responded. "Your broom isn't going anywhere! We are, it'll be here when you get back."

"You're not my mother!" Leon snapped at her just as Dominique walked up the staircase.

"What is going on?" Skylar just waited before her mother looked down at Leon. "Leon why are you not dressed?"

"He was playing on the broomstick too much." Nick grinned and Dominique sighed as she looked at her daughter, the broomstick beside her.

"Skylar, did you do something to your brother's broomstick?"

"I simply stopped him riding it, it's fine." she said simply "He's gonna hold us up, and I wanna go to the Weasleys'." she said, slightly childishly.

Dominique smiled slightly before turning to her younger son.

"Leon, I asked you to get ready, you can ride the broomstick when we get back." she promised him, a hand on his head.

Leon sighed but nodded before he grinned. "Can I take it with me?"

"The weasleys have proper brooms Leon, you wont want to take a toy one with fly with them, they'll soar upwards and you'd be left behind." Nick put in. He'd grabbed a cloak himself and pinned it around his shoulders like his sister had.

Leon frowned before he nodded. Skylar took his small broom in her hand and moved to hand it back to him. He took it without a word and moved to his room.

"Skylar you shouldn't do that to him." Dominique said

"He wasn't listening." she said

"But it's not your job to tell him off." she said sternly and Skylar sighed before nodding.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8:

Skylar stood in the kitchen before the giant fireplace in her dress and travelling cloak, Nick stood beside her, in dark robes and a black travelling cloak while Leon wore deep green and black. Skylar held the brown package in her hands while Leon had a bag of items in his. Midori ran around their heels cleaning and touching them up until they were properly prepared to leave as Dominique fixed her Husband's cloak around him.

"Alright, we ready?" she asked and the three children nodded.

Midori lit the fire and it flared before them, Nathaniel threw in some dust from their floo powder pot, and the orange flames turned bright green. Dominique stepped into the fireplace and Leon and Skylar followed her, each taking their mother's hand with their free one.

"The Burrow!" Dominique said simply.

They were pulled away from their kitchen, Nathaniel, Nickolas and Midori vanishing before they were spinning very fast. Flashes of fireplaces passed by them as Skylar looked out through her squinted eyes, waiting for the one they wanted. A roaring sounded through their ears as cold air whipped at their faces before they suddenly came to a stop. Dominique pulled her children from the fireplace and Leon stumbled slightly.

"Dominique! Welcome." Skylar shook her head and adjusted her cloak as it had gone slightly askew. She blinked a few times and her eyes adjusted to the scene before her. Mrs Weasley was addressing her mother, asking how her morning was, wishing her happy Christmas and saying good morning, all the polite greetings. She looked again and found Ginny running towards her, beaming. Skylar grinned and she manoeuvred the parcel in her hands to one arm in order to accept the hug.

"I'm so glad you're here. Merry Christmas!" Ginny beamed at Skylar and the girl grinned back.

"Merry Christmas Ginny, how are you?" she asked and Ginny nodded in her response.

"Oh Skylar, Merry Christmas." Mrs Weasley smiled, moving over to hug the girl, having already greeted and hugged Leon.

"Merry Christmas Mrs Weasley." Skylar smiled. She turned and saw Ron was in the room too.

"Merry Christmas Ron." Skylar smiled at him and Leon grinned.

"Ron, I got a toy broomstick for Christmas." he said and Ron didn't get to answer Skylar as the small boy captivated him with broom talk.

At that moment there was a whoosh and the fireplace was filled now with Nathaniel and Nicholas.

"Oh Nathaniel, Merry Christmas. How was your morning?" Mrs Weasley asked moving over and Nathaniel shook her hand and kissed her cheek.

"Rather enjoyable, and yours?" he asked her in return.

"Oh rather simple, for once." she smiled chuckling slightly and Nathaniel nodded in understanding, smiling back.

"How are you Nick?" Mrs Weasley asked him and he grinned

"Very well Mrs Weasley. Merry Christmas."

"Merry Christmas dear." she smiled.

"Where's Arthur, Molly?" Dominique wondered

"Oh, he got called into work this morning, hopefully he'll be back by lunch time." Mrs Weasley sad glancing at a clock.

"Well, I'm sure we can pull some strings if not." Nathaniel smiled at his wife who nodded.

"Oh, bless, thank you." Mrs Weasley smiled. Leon turned to Skylar and nudged her, in which the girl nodded and stepped forwards to Mrs Weasley, catching her attention.

"This is for you Mrs Weasley, happy Christmas." and she handed the women the parcel in her hands. Mrs Weasley looked surprised.

"Oh dear, you didn't have to."

"As thanks," Skylar said ignoring the women's statement.

"What is it mum!?" Ginny asked excitedly as Ron edged forwards. Mrs Weasley smiled at her daughter fondly before she took the paper off the box. The three children watched excitedly as she lifted off the lid.

Mrs Weasley smiled as she pulled out a flower pot. It had some drawings on it's outside, brooms sticks along the top, roses across the middle, fireworks down the bottom.

"It's a pot for your floo powder." Skylar smiled

"Skylar, me and Nick did it." Leon smiled Mrs Weasley moved to the three, pulling Nick into his siblings and hugging them all.

"It's lovely." she said "Oh thank you dears. I suppose I'd better get yours." and she put the flowerpot on the table with the box and moved off to the a different room.

"Thanks." Ginny smiled

"Oh we've got some for you guys too." Skylar promised and Leon held up the bag in his hand.

The two children beamed as Leon fished out their presents and handed them to the two red-heads.

"There he is!" the Rosenwalds and two weasleys turned to see Fred and George had walked in. They went straight for Nick before grabbing him to drag him off. Unfortunately for them Mrs Weasley moved back in at that point and demanded the two greet their guests properly. Luckily for them too as Leon was able to give the bag to Nick while the twins greeted the Rosenwald parents. Mrs Weasley also handed Nick something before the three went from the room, the twins dragging Nick off.

"What's their hurry?" Leon asked but the three just shrugged.

"Here dears." Mrs Weasley handed the two Rosenwalds a lumpy wrapped package and the two beamed. Both ripped off the package to find knitted sweaters. Ron's ears went red at the sight of them but the two siblings were delighted.

"Thanks Mrs Weasley!" Skylar's was sky blue and she pulled off her travelling coat to pull the jumper on immediately. Mrs Weasley flicked her wand and the coat flew over to be hung by one of the doors. Leon did the same, his was bright red and his cloak joined Skylar's as Dominique and Nathaniel stripped their clocks and followed Mrs Weasley from the kitchen. With only four of them inside the two Rosenwald siblings could finally have a look at it. The kitchen was small and rather cramped with a scrubbed wooden table and chairs in the middle. There was a clock on the wall opposite that had only one hand and no numbers at all. Written around the edge were things like _Time to make tea_ , _Time to feed the chickens_ , and _You_ _'_ _re late_. Books were stacked three deep on the mantelpiece, books with titles like _Charm Your Own Cheese_ , _Enchantment in Baking_ , and _One Minute Feasts — It_ _'_ _s Magic_! The mantel piece was by the giant fire place in which the family had just come out from and had a mirror above the mantel piece. Two doors were in the room, one to the front yard, and one to the back and then an archway that lead into the house.

Skylar grinned at it all. Outside one of the windows was an owl, standing on a perch fast asleep with its feathers rather ruffled. It seemed worn out.

"Ginny, Ron, why don't you take Skylar and Leon around?" Mrs Weasley's voice sounded and they turned as she entered the kitchen and moved straight to the stove. She poked the gas with her wand and it ignited immediately, before the kettle was put atop of it to heat some water for tea.

"Yes! I'll show you my room!" Ginny grinned.

Ron turned slightly red and looked unsure. Skylar caught this and looked at him in interest. He seemed hesitant.

"Don't worry so much Ron." Skylar smiled at him and he rose a confused eyebrow. Leon hit his sister on the arm.

"Skylar! You're not supposed to!"

"What?" she asked annoyed "Not like you can prove anything." she grumbled.

The two Weasley siblings shared a look.

"Ron, you gonna leave Leon with two girls?" Skylar asked ignoring her brother's pointed look. Ron responded by rolling his eyes before he was the one to lead the way from the kitchen.

They moved out the archway and into a narrow hallway. They passed a closed door, which apparently lead to a scullery, a tiny room with a mangle in it. The next doorway opened into a lounge room. Dominique and Nathaniel were sitting here, chatting lightly. The room was definitely dressed for Christmas, there was a large tree decorated from head to toe with tinsel and other decorations around the room. Aside from this, it was a cosy room, with a sofa and armchairs. There was a large fireplace, a wooden wireless set, and a clock that didn't seem to tell the time. Leon noticed it first and moved over to it.

"Skylar look!" she followed her brother and glanced at the clock. Rather than telling the time there were places listed around the edges, such as " _home,_ " " _school_ ," " _work_ ," " _travelling_ ," " _lost_ ," " _dentist_ ," " _hospital_ ," " _prison_ ," and " _mortal peril_ ". Instead of arms to tell the time, there were nine hands, one for each member of the family, their names scribbled into it. Currently, six hands were on _"home"_. Two hands were on _"work"_ , Mr Weasley and Bills, while Charlie's was on _"School"_.

"Charlie's still at school?" Leon asked confused

"That's what you notice? How about the fact that this clock is amazing?" Skylar grinned before turning to her parents as the Weasley children shrugged. "Mum, can we get one?"

"I don't know dear…" she said thinking

"Talk to Mrs Weasley about it? I'd love one of these." Skylar said intrigued. Her parents chuckled as Ginny grabbed Skylar's hand.

"Come on Skylar." and she dragged Skylar from the room.

They moved back through the narrow hallway and to a set of stairs, in which the steps were uneven and wound its way, zigzagging up through the house.

They came to the first landing and Ginny moved for a doorway.

"This is my room." she beamed as she opened the door. Leon and Skylar looked in with interest. Ginny's room was small, but bright, and overlooked the orchard, a desk sat below this. She had decorated the room with posters of the Weird Sisters and the Holyhead Harpies captain, Gwenog Jones.

"It's so sweet." Skylar grinned

"It's not like yours."

"Well of course not." Skylar said and the three looked at her surprised "My rooms suited to me and my style, of course yours wold be different, we're different people." she grinned and Ginny grinned.

They left the room and back onto the landing before making their way up to the next landing. There were two doors here and laughter and a few soft bangs were coming from one of them.

"Fred and George's room." Skylar nodded as Ron and Ginny said the same thing.

"What are they doing to make those noises?" Leon asked leaning closer to the doorway.

"I dunno, but it's always like that." Ginny said

"Drives Percy mad." Ron pointed to the next door which apparently went to Percy's room. As he said that the boy in questioned wrenched his door open and banged on the twins' door. The four on the landing hurried up the stairs as Percy's voice sounded.

On the third landing was another door.

"That's Bill and Charlie's room." Ron pointed

"Really only Charlie's room now." Ginny said

"What does Bill do?"

"He works for Gringotts." Ginny smiled

"Really?" and the two nodded.

"He's a curse breaker." Ron said "He's in Egypt."

"Wow." Skylar said impressed.

"And Charlie's not here?" Leon repeated

"Narr, he's going into his NEWT years so he decided to stay at Hogwarts to study." Ron admitted with a shrug.

On the next landing was another single door.

"Mum and dad's room." Ron said before they continued to climb. The last and fifth landing had another single door, in which was Ron's room, a plaque hanging on his door to say so.

Leon and Skylar stopped short in the doorway in surprise. They blinked a few times as the room pressed in on them. Everything was orange, the walls, the bed, the ceiling. Ron had covered every inch of the shabby wallpaper with posters of the same seven witches and wizards, all wearing bright orange robes, carrying broomsticks, and waving energetically. The Chudley Cannons. Leon beamed before turning to Ron while Skylar looked at Ginny.

"Obsession." she whispered and Ginny giggled.

When the girls managed to pride the boys away from their Quidditch they moved back down the stairs.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9:

"Our garden's not much, not compared to how yours looked." Ron admitted as they moved down the stairs and towards the kitchen again.

"Not that we got much of a look, we stayed inside didn't we?" Ginny said thinking

"They're place is huge though, bound to have a large garden too." Ron believed, looking at the siblings. Both of them nodded.

"Though sometimes I think our house is a little too big sometimes." Skylar shrugged "Our's isn't nearly as homey as yours." she believed

"Yeah ours either needs to be smaller or have more people in it." Leon agreed

"But it's amazing." Ginny said

"Well, our ancestors liked to be over top apparently, so they build it to be extravagant." Skylar said

"Including the gardens?" Ginny asked and the two nodded.

"Mum loves her garden. You can find her out there primping and pruning when she's got the time." Skylar admitted shrugging as they moved to the backyard door and out of the house.

The back garden was exactly as you'd imagine it to be; a large, overgrown garden with a pond full of frogs. There were plenty of weeds, and the grass needed cutting — but there were gnarled trees all around the walls, plants piled from every flowerbed in which did not look normal. On top of that it contained a stone outhouse, it seemed to have been turned into a sort of storage room.

"There's an orchard behind there." Ron pointed to some rather tall trees that poked out beyond. "It has a paddock where we can play Quidditch."

"The brooms are in the outhouse." Ginny nodded.

"Awesome." the Rosenwald siblings grinned.

"Hey Skylar doesn't mum have one of these." Leon said before he moved to the side. There was a plant swaying oddly despite there being no breeze.

"Oh yeah she's got a few."

"I didn't think your mum would have something like that." Ginny said surprised "Seems sort of out of place…" she looked up thoughtfully.

"She grows all sorts of things." Leon confessed

"Like what?" Ginny wondered

"Well she's got the normal, obviously, and then the interesting." Leon said

"Her flowers are all along the pathways lead to different sections of the garden and then around structures which are spread out all over the place. The more interesting stuff she's got mixed in with all the normal sorts of plants like roses, chrysanthemums, poppies, lilies, tulips, hydrangeas and gardenias." Skylar answered "Works really well actually."

"Interesting stuff?" Ron asked

"Yeah, magical plants." Leon grinned

"She's got those in the garden?" Ginny asked surprised "Aren't some dangerous?"

"Yes. But being an Auror they need all sorts of things in order to catch people and understand symptoms and signs and all that, so mum's got all sorts of magical plants mixed in with her gardenias and camellias and her roses." Leon admitted

"Mum's also good with potions which a lot of these are helpful for." Skylar added and Leon nodded. "She's got them all strategically placed of course, and it all depends on the plant, most she's got away in their own section. A green house off to the side." Skylar added, thinking. "Some however she'd got placed around the hedges and fountains."

"You guys have a fountain?" Ginny grinned

"More than one." Skylar admitted

"One's in the main garden directly outside the ballroom. It's got an elaborate garden around it." Leon hummed.

"There's one in the maze." Skylar added

"You have a maze?" Ron asked surprised.

"It's a little one. The hedges don't go higher than your waist. In the middle there's a fountain and some benches." Skylar explained

"Skylar's favourite place to read." Leon aded

"We have an arbour with a swinging couch on it on the opposite side of the garden." Skylar added, ignoring her brother. "Mum has her flower gardens everywhere."

"That's near the the giant outdoor stone chess set." Leon remembered

"A giant chess set?" Ron asked surprised

"Dunno about giant…" Leon added

"We forgot to show Ron when he was there." Skylar thought.

"I forgot about it." Leon said and Skylar nodded.

"What else?" Ginny wondered

"Few ponds—"

"Swimming pool—"

"Large field with baby quidditch posts—"

"That's where the boys spend most of their time." Skylar said as they thought.

"The ballroom opens into the immediate garden with a fountain of course." Leon hummed

"Beside that the kitchen leads to an outdoor dining area so we can have food outside." Skylar added

"And there's a sitting area on the other side of the ball room in a conservatory." Leon nodded

"Pool's connected to that." Skylar nodded.

"You guys have it all."

"Only some of it can you actually have some fun in though. You ruin mum's gardens and she wont be happy." Skylar admitted.

"Your place always sounds amazing." Ron admitted

"Like we said, prestigious ancestors who wanted to impress others." Skylar shrugged "The thing we use the most is the mini quidditch pitch." she admitted

"We've got to see that." Ron said and Ginny nodded.

They moved around to the front garden, Skylar pausing to pet the owl there.

"That's Errol." Ron said "He's ancient."

"He looses the mail sometimes." Ginny agreed

"Is that problematic?" Skylar asked though she was grinning slightly at the thought.

"Depends on what it is." Ron said shrugging.

The front garden was much smaller than the back. It was a small yard at the front of the house, with a garage. There was a chicken coop that housed the family's chickens and a sign in the ground read " _The Burrow_ " by the main entrance.

"Dad's car's in there." Ron pointed out

"Your dad has a car?" Leon asked surprised

"Dad's obsessed with muggle things, he's got all sorts of stuff in there that he probably shouldn't. It drives mum mad, she thinks its junk and a waste of time." Ginny admitted

"What's he do with it?"

"Takes them part, spells them, and puts them back together." Ron said

"What for?" Leon asked confused but Ron simply shrugged.

"Hang on, didn't you say your father was supposed to stop things like that?" Skylar asked confused "Isn't it his job to stop people enchanting muggle things?"

The two red-heads laughed.

"Well dad made the laws about it didn't he, he's probably got all sorts of ways out." Ginny confessed. Leon and Skylar shared a surprised look.

"Imagine if dad did that?" Leon said thinking

"It'd definitely cause trouble." Skylar nodded.

"Lunch is ready!" the four turned instantly to see Mrs Weasley standing in the doorway looking at them. At their stare she turned and went back into the kitchen.

Ginny, Ron, Skylar and Leon all quickly moved to the doorway and inside. Dominique was helping Mrs Weasley dress the table with knives and forks, while Nathaniel was talking to Mr Weasley, who'd turned up. Mr Weasley, as usual, was thin, going bald, but the little hair he had was as red as any of his children's. He was wearing long green robes, which were dusty and travel-worn. Despite this he seemed most happy as Mrs Weasley waved her wand and a roast turkey sat itself on the table. The four children watched as it was joined by ham, cranberry sauce, chipolatas, a gravy boat, roast potatoes and vegetables such as carrots and beans, plates and cups which were filed with champagne for the adults and butter beer for the children. Crackers were lined along the table as the twins and Nick came down the stairs and they all took a seat around the table. The adults sat at one end, and the children at the other with Percy being the last to join them and sit up with the adults. He instantly greeted Nathaniel and got talking about the Ministry and his job.

"It's going to be hell when he has his OWLs." Ron mumbled "And we have to deal with it."

"Ahh well few years after that and he'll probably be off running the ministry." Skylar said. "He does give that impression.

"That's why he wants in with your dad." Fred added as they watched him.

"He want anything particular in the Ministry?" Leon wondered

"If he can, he'll try for Minister."

"Sad, it'd be nice to have a Minister with some humour for once." George sighed, earning a laugh from the six around him.

The carving knife manoeuvred itself to slice up the turkey and then the ham. The pieces moved off to everyone's plates before the spoon for the potatoes did the same. The vegetables were distributed and the chipolatas as well before the gravy boat was the last to move around and pour over everyones delicious meal.

Skylar and Leon asked the twins about Hogwarts and how they found it. The twins gladly told them about the secret passageways they'd already found and about the kitchens and the teachers. Skylar wondered about their grades but they didn't want to speak much about that.

"And the Forbidden Forest is out of bounds to students, but just think what could be in there." George grinned

"Funny that the Forbidden Forest is forbidden." Skylar said, earning a laugh from everyone and George to roll his eyes.

Everyone ate several plates of the Christmas dinner until they felt rather stuffed, before Mrs Weasley cleared the table and pulled out the desserts. She had trifle and custard with apple pie and ice-cream. There was a giant Christmas Pudding that was set aflame on the table before them all, Mr Weasley pointing his wand at the mound to light it. They opened the Christmas crackers which they pulled on. All sorts of hats popped out from them, Skylar had a cowboy hat, Leon a wizards hat, Ginny managed a crown while Fred had a bonnet and George a fez. Percy managed a cap with a spinning fan on it that when blown on by Fred almost lifted him from his seat and whisked him off through the room. All sorts of tricks fell out like self-spinning tops, live lizards and dazzling crystals, exploding snap burst out of one and the twins snatched it immediately with excitement. Smoke billowed from the bangs that went off like thunder through the room, one after the other. Jokes popped out which were told to one another and laughter reined over the room. Even Percy managed to stop being too stuck-up and mature to laugh and have some fun.

When the food was finished everyone retired to the living room. The two girls sat on the floor lazily as Mr Weasley lit the fire and Fred, George, Ron and Leon engaged in some exploding snap for a while. Mrs Weasley turned on the wireless radio and played some music as a low murmur of voices went around. There was eggnog shared around and a few mince pies to top off all the food they ate. The grown ups began talking about Skylar and Ron's eleventh birthday parties as well as their children's time at school. Mrs Weasley happily spoke about her two older sons and the pride she had for Percy. Ron and the twins scowled when none was said about them as Mrs Weasley went on to talk about how she'd always wanted a girl. Skylar found it interesting to listen to her parents and the Weasleys talk about their time at Hogwarts, the teachers they'd had, who from their year levels was where now, and what they'd achieved.

While slouched in the living room, the dull murmur of voices and the crackling of a fire, Ginny and Skylar both fell asleep beside one another. Leon soon followed them after Ron and Fred had started playing wizard chess and the exploding of the snap cards had soon stopped.

"Ahh, bless em." Nathaniel smiled at their youngest children.

"I guess we should be getting them home." Dominique nodded as she stood up and moved over to Skylar. She picked the girl up from the floor and moved some of her hair from her face.

"Ginny should be taken to bed too." Mr Weasley agreed, moving to pick up his small red-headed daughter.

"Thank you for having us Molly." Dominique said as the women stood to her feet and the two kissed one another's cheeks.

"Oh any time."

"Well, it's our turn next." Nathaniel said and Mrs Weasley smiled before she nodded.

Mr Weasley and Nathaniel grabbed one another's hands, shaking them before Mr Weasley said good bye to Dominique and disappeared up the stairs with Ginny. Nathaniel bent down and picked up his son before they moved back for the kitchen.

"Come on Nick." Dominique smiled at him.

"See you later boys." Nick said to the twins before getting up and following his parents.

"Let's hope the floo powder doesn't wake them up." Dominique smiled at her husband as they stood before the large fire place with Mrs Weasley.

"Ahh well, they can put themselves to bed if that's the case." Nathaniel said and his wife knocked his shoulder earning a chuckle. Mrs Weasley waved her wand and a fire sprang up in the fireplace instantly. She then turned to her departing guests.

"Thank's for coming, Dom, Nate." Mrs Weasley smiled at them.

"Thank you more for the invite."

"Oh anytime." she assured as she took some floo powder and threw it into the fire. The orange flames turned green instantly.

"After you Nick." Nathaniel instructed and Nicholas stepped into the fire first.

"Rosenwald Estate." the boy vanished in a flurry of flames.

Dominique followed her son with her daughter in her arms and vanished just as he did.

"Thank again Molly." she waved the words away as Nathaniel stepped into the fire holding his son and was gone just as quickly from The Burrow.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10:

Christmas ended and was followed by New Years, the Rosenwald parents bought some fireworks, and they were set off in a spacious part of the backyard for the children to enjoy. The Flubberbuster fireworks went everywhere and lit up the sky, much to the children's amusement.

With New Years over it was time for Nick to return to Hogwarts. His father took him back to Kings Cross station via apparation where the older Rosenwald child got back on the Hogwarts Express with the Weasley twins and all others who came back for the holidays.

With her brother off to finish the last half of the year, Skylar began to get excited again. This side of Christmas made the end of the school year seem so much closer. Within only a few months, Nick would be home and then there was only one year left until Skylar would be off herself to Diagon Alley. She'd be allowed to purchase her books, her robes, and finally her own wand. Then off she would be to Kings Cross with all her things in order to pass the barrier at platforms nine and ten to get on on the scarlet steam engine of the Hogwarts Express herself.

"I can't wait! I want to see the towers, and the library, and the Great Hall and the Kitchen and the Dungeon—"

"We get it." Leon cut her off as they were in the kitchen helping Midori create some home-baked goods. The two children had insisted they help roll out cookie dough and lick the bowl of muffin mixture.

Unlike his sister, Leon was less than happy that Skylar continued to bring this up. Another year and a half and he'd be left by himself at home.

"Leon just think how quickly this year has gone, the next two will go just as fast and then you'll be with us!" Skylar grinned when she noticed the solemn look on his face. She knew he wasn't looking forwards to a year by himself at home.

"It's still more than a year away Skylar." Leon said slightly annoyed.

But it seemed nothing could drown her spirits.

"But we're so close!"

"Well, thought about what owl you're going to get?" Leon asked begrudgingly, a new animal excited him more than anything else that might happen.

"I don't know if I will." Skylar confessed "I mean with mum, dad, Nick and you'll probably get an owl too… I don't see why I should have one as well, we don't need five owls in the house." she admitted.

In February Nick turned 12 and the family all sent him lots of parcels via the owls, it was the first birthday in which Nick had been away for.

"It feels weird, celebrating, but not celebrating." Skylar said

"What?" Leon said turning to her as they sat at the dinner table that evening, having homemade lasagna by Midori.

"Well we celebrated cause we sent him things, but we're not having a big dinner or anything so we're not celebrating as we usually would." she said pointing at her pasta. Leon chuckled at his sister. "It made sense to me." she mumbled before putting a forkful in her mouth.

Easter approached within April and Skylar and Leon were up before the morning mist and dew had cleared. The excitement of what was now out in the garden caused sleep to be less important as they ran down the stairs, through the house and to the Kitchen. Each child collected a basket from Midori, who was awake and preparing breakfast, before they dashed outside into the large garden. Little sparkles glittered through the garden, across the tables, the patios and in the bushes. Each child was careful when going near the plants, knowing there might be something slightly more eccentric then just a rose bush waiting to trap one with it's thorns. The glittering objects were foil wrapped chocolate eggs in which the children rushed around to collect, filling their baskets.

They were done by the time their parents had woken up and gotten dressed and had to be called inside by Midori for breakfast as they tried to count their spoils.

"Wow," Nathaniel exclaimed when the two baskets stocked with chocolate went on the tables, the two children climbing up into their chairs beside them. "I hope you plan on sharing with your old man."

"I dunno." Leon sighed unsurely, clearly contemplating as he looked at his basket. "I don't know if there's really enough."

"Well, I suppose we'll just keep Molly's chocolate to ourselves then wont we Nate." Dominique shrugged to her husband who nodded as the two children looked confused

"What?" they chorused

"Oh Molly Weasley sent us some home made chocolate for Easter, but I guess if you two get all of that to yourself, we'll just have to hold onto it." Nathaniel said.

This was met by protest and the siblings instantly changed their mind.

"No you can have some! I was only joking!" Leon said

"I never said I wouldn't share." Skylar admitted and their parents chuckled.

"Midori." Dominique called. The elf came bobbling along with two packages and handed each of the children one. Opening them they found inside a large chocolate egg each along with some homemade fudge. The children beamed.

"They're gonna be bouncing off the walls from all of this." Dominique warned and Nathaniel nodded.

April left and soon after it so did May, along with Leon's tenth birthday. June arrived and soon so did Nick's arrival date back from his first year of Hogwarts. Like at the beginning of the school year the two younger Rosenwalds were allowed to come and collect their older brother with their parents from the train station.

The two were up early and ready to leave before their parents due to their excitement and had even finished breakfast first. They sat on the front stairs waiting with anticipation and excitement.

"Alright, we ready to go then?" Dominique asked as she walked down the left staircase, adjusting her collar correctly.

"Yes!" the two chorused

"Finally." Leon grinned and his mother chuckled as their father walked up from his study, between the two staircases, adjusting the cuffs of his robes.

"Well, outside then." he said and the four filed out of the front door. Midori appeared to close the door behind the family, wishing them well, as the two children each took a parent's hand to apparate into London and just down an alleyway from Kings Cross.

The family crossed the always busy, bustling road before heading into the large train station. The place was as packed as it usually was with Muggles. The station became crowded even more so as the family reached Platforms nine and ten. Many families standing around, some of which were obviously Wizards. The different groups of people were all different to one another but this was what made them obvious to the right eyes. The different groups standing outside the barrier between the two platforms of nine and ten were all dressed slightly differently, some were wearing odd assortments of muggle clothes, some were wearing robes, and some had actually managed to blended in as they got the Muggle clothing assortment correct. All these groups were standing, chatting slightly, and waiting by the barrier for what was to come out of it.

"Are they the families waiting for their kids?" Leon wondered and their parents nodded.

"I think that's smart, have the families wait outside. I'm sure the platform will get crowded with all the students disembarking." Skylar thought.

"My mum used to do that, at least after the first year." Dominique nodded and Nathaniel did too.

The four of them went for the barrier and walked straight through it like it wasn't there. On the other side there were more families waiting as well, much more than those smart enough to wait outside the barrier. They produced the bountiful of noise as some were huddled and others simply just talking to one another. The platform was different to the beginning of the year, for one it was empty of the bright red steam engine and no smoke billowed over the rooftop from it's pipe.

The four Rosenwalds began to move though the station and the parents were stoped a few times. Old friends from school stopped them for catch ups, work colleagues checked in and asked a few questions. Skylar, who was still holding her father's hand was trying to look around for the familiar red hair as Leon looked bored waiting for his parents.

"Skylar, there!" Leon noticed and she turned. Through a quick gap of people the twins spotted the bright red hair of a small girl, holding hands with a plump women who stood beside a tall thin man.

Skylar's hand slopped from her father's and Leon instantly followed as his sister moved off through the crowd.

"Ginny!" the small girl turned and grinned as Skylar hugged her.

"Skylar, where on earth did you come from?" Mrs Weasley asked surprised, looking down at the auburn haired girl as Leon flanked her.

"Over there." she waved her hand absentmindedly.

"Mum and Dad kept getting caught and distracted by people." Leon confessed as he grinned at Ginny and she responded.

"How are you Mrs Weasley?" Skylar asked politely.

"Oh I'm well dear." she smiled "Excited for Nick to come home?"

"Yes!" the two chorused grinning

"More so it seems than Ron is for the twins." Ginny chuckled. Ron indeed stood looking slightly displeased and bored.

"Well, he has done this how many times?" Skylar asked as Leon looked at the platform.

"Skylar!" Dominique and Nathaniel appeared form the crowd and Nathaniel took his daughter's hand. "Do not go running off like that!" he scolded.

"It's too crowded for you to go running off." Dominique agreed with a sigh.

"We found the Weasleys!" Leon said in protest and Mrs Weasley sighed

"Well, at least they didn't go running off." she said "But you really shouldn't run off like that." she said to the children. They shared a look.

"Not like they can go anywhere really." Ron added and the children chuckled as Mrs Weasley shot her son a look.

"That's not the point!"

The children all paused as they heard a distant noise and many people turned to the opening of the station in anticipation.

"Was that it? Mummy is it coming?" Ginny asked and her mother smiled as she nodded. Skylar and Leon shared a grin.

There was another distant hoot of a train and now everyone heard the noise and turned to the platform exit. Within a matter of moments the bright red steam engine pulled into the station, puffing smoke from it's nozzle and causing it to steam up and over everyone's heads, billowing over the roof.

It slowed more and more and the occupants inside could be seen standing and moving, getting ready to disembark. The train finally came to a complete halt, gave out one last hoot from it's nozzle and settled instantly. The doors began to open and out piled the first lucky student with it's trunk and a cage.

Skylar and Ginny were hopping on their feet to try and get better looks as the students filled the platform, some heading straight for their parents and some going straight for the iron wrought entry way.

Nick was finally spotted thanks to the two flaming red headed twins in which he was with.

"There mum!" Leon had been lifted onto his father's shoulders and pointed when he saw the twins and Nick. He started to wave for his brother and the three noticed him and moved over with their large trunks and Nick with Mitchim, his owl.

"Oh boys, there you are." Mrs Weasley smiled when her twins were close enough. "Did you have a good year?"

"Was rather charming." Fred said

"Maybe a bit boring." George agreed

"Well we can change that for next year." Nick added smirking as his mother finished kissing his cheek.

"What was the end of the year like?" Leon wondered as his father put him down.

"What about the exams, were they hard?" Skylar wondered

"Hello Mother." Percy had appeared from out of no where.

"Oh there you are Percy, good." Mrs Weasley smiled and pet her son's shoulder.

"Best we start making our way out with everyone else." Dominique believed as she looked around and Mrs Weasley nodded in agreement.

"Here Nick, give me your trunk." Nick gladly slid his trunks slightly closer to his father who took his wand and tapped it. The trunk instantly vanished and Mr Weasley turned to do the same with the twins' and Percy's trunks.

"Well, see you later." Nick said to the twins.

"How about tomorrow?" the twins offered

"You're not to use up all our floo powder boys." Mrs Weasley said instantly, her cheeks flushed slightly.

"That's alright, Nick can come over and bring some for you, that way it's not impeding on you."

"Oh, no dear, you don't need to—" Mrs Weasley began.

"Don't be silly Molly." Dominique sighed

"We've only got a large sack of it." Nathaniel smirked.

The two families began to make their way towards the exit way of the platform where there were guards letting the groups through in threes or four as to not grab too much attention of people flooding from a barrier. Once outside the two families bid their farewells and moved off in separate directions, the Weasleys for their Ford Angelina, the car in which Mr Weasley owned and used to transport all his children, while the Rosenwalds went for the usual alleyway to apparate back to their house.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11:

Summer comprised of the Rosenwalds and Weasleys moving between their houses through the floo network. The Rosenwald children once snuck in with a sack of floo powder and, behind the Weasleys back, refilled their floo powder pot, decorated and given to them by the Rosenwald children. The three children were gone before anyone could notice or tell them off. The Weasley children had turned up not a few hours later laughing at their friends antics.

"Well we use it just as much as you do so it's only natural we refill it here or there." Skylar shrugged

"Mum's gonna be all a tither." Ginny giggled.

The Weasley twins and Nick gained their Hogwarts letters for their second year. The two families moved off to Diagon Alley, organising to go together in order to get the new school books. The second visit to the wizard alleyway was as exciting as the first as they had more time to visit other places now. Leon and Ron spent a substantial amount of time in Quality Quidditch Supplies while Ginny and Skylar were found in the Emporium pouring over the kittens and owls. The twins and Nick were found in the Joke shop and Percy and Charlie seemed the only ones who seemed to take the time to be productive.

"By the way, how did Charlie go?" Skylar asked when the children had been rounded up by their parents and taken to Flourish and Blotts to get their new books.

"Seemed he did well, he's going for his last year after all and gets to continue his subjects." Fred shrugged

"Then he can run off the second he finishes." George agreed.

"Run off?" Leon asked confused

"He wants to go to Romania."

"To work with the dragons?" Skylar remembered and the Weasleys all nodded.

"It'll be weird when he's gone, it'll be just us." Ron thought

"Yeah with Percy being the oldest." Nick put a hand on the twins' shoulders. "Good luck." they rolled their eyes.

"Bill's in Egypt right?" Leon said and the children all nodded.

"Ahh well, less brothers to worry about when you get there Ron." Skylar chuckled and Ron sighed

"Not enough."

The two families met back up briefly at Kings Cross when Nick and the twins went back off to Hogwarts for their second year with Percy who was going into his fourth and Charlie who was heading for his last.

The train left at exactly eleven o'clock with no delays and the Rosenwalds headed off for lunch before heading home.

September turned into October and brought along Skylar's eleventh birthday. She woke up in the morning to a small pile of presents at the end of her large bed. She sat and tore the paper off of them in excitement before getting up, dressed and heading down the stairs for breakfast.

"Happy Birthday Skylar." Dominique kissed the top of her daughter's head fondly as Leon came down and hugged his sister.

"Happy eleventh birthday." he grinned.

They ate breakfast and Skylar was surprised by her parents when they began to talk about a party.

"What?" she asked surprised

"It's not every day you turn eleven, Skylar." Dominique smirked.

"But—"

"We did it for Nicholas and we'll do it for you as well." Nathaniel said "We've had most of the guests reply that they're coming."

"You've already invited people?" Leon said

"Of course." the parents smiled and the children looked surprised and then grinned.

"Are the Weasleys coming?"

"Along with many others yes." Nathaniel nodded

"Did you… invite the Malfoys and all them?" Skylar asked skeptically

"We did." Nathaniel nodded

"Are they coming?" Leon asked annoyed

"They are."

The two sighed in disappointment.

"It's polite. And I don't need Lucius running around after my tail when he finds out he didn't get an invite." Nathaniel confessed

"It's just for the night," Dominique assured.

And so, that afternoon the Rosenwald estate was primped and preened to perfection. Midori ran around cleaning the kitchen spotless and readying the ballroom, hooks were prepared in the entrance hall to hang up travelling cloaks and everything was decorated for Skylar's birthday. Mounds of food was cooked for the guests to indulge in and butterbeer, firewhisky, champagne and wines were set up along with some water and pumpkin juice. Tables were covered in ornate table clothes in the ballroom and the lights were all set up outside in the garden.

Skylar was found in her bedroom close to the evening as her mother braided and curled her hair, adding jewelled pins and clips to hold it all in place while the girl herself wore a set of light blue dress robes. Her mother had silver which matched her auburn hair and pale skin perfectly.

Leon was dressed in bottled green robes and his father in deep midnight blue.

People arrived by apparition down the lane and moved up the driveway to the front door where Midori greeted the guests and took their cloaks. She did the same for any who wished to arrive by Floo powder and had them all cleaned up of soot before they even left the kitchen.

Skylar stood by the door to the entrance of the ballroom and greeted everyone. Dominique offered them drinks as bottles were floating around offering refills and Skylar took all the gifts she received to put them on another table which was piling higher and higher with each guest.

"Skylar!" Ginny squealed as she ran forwards in red robes just as bright and brilliant as her hair which was tied backwards. "Happy Birthday!"

"Thanks!"

"Happy birthday dear." Mrs Weasley said as she, Ron and Mr Weasley joined their daughter. She handed Skylar a gift who beamed.

"Thank you!"

The Malfoys appeared and Skylar greeted them properly as she should and took the rather large present from Draco before they moved to address the Greengrass' and some of the workers from the Ministry who were invited.

"Ah, Augusta, so lovely you could make it." Dominique addressed a rather elderly witch, she was rather formidable looking. She was tall, thin and bony and wearing a hat with a stuffed vulture on it while carrying a bright red handbag.

"Dominique, so lovely for you to invite us." she said to the younger women. "I don't know if you'd have remembered, it has been a long time, my grandson, Neville." with her was round-faced boy, short, chubby, and with blond hair. He was also somewhat buck-toothed.

"Nice to meet you Neville. Dominique." the women said holding out her hand and the boy took it. "I did meet you when you were a little tucker, I worked with your parents." she admitted "I hope they're doing as well as they can." Neville nodded mutely.

"Ahh, as you say, as well as they can do, Doctors don't know if it'll improve however." Augusta said.

"Such a sad things that transpired, but avenged and very brave." Dominique nodded "Neville, this is my daughter Skylar. As I am to recall you'll be going to Hogwarts together." Neville turned to the auburn haired girl who grinned.

"Nice to meet you Neville." she said holding out her hand.

"Nice to meet you." he managed to get out, though rather jumpy, as he shook her hand. He then held out a gift. "Happy Birthday." she grinned

"Thank you." and Neville hurried off after his grandmother who had spotted someone she knew.

"You do know a lot of people mother." Skylar whispered

"It's the job association." Dominique smiled. Skylar chuckled before she turned back for the doorway and then beamed.

"Remus!" the girl flung herself into the man's arms and he chuckled at her antics. The man himself held a pale face with premature lines, and light brown hair that, though he was only young still, was streaked with grey. The robes he wore were shabby and patched and he was quite tall, standing at about six feet. "You came!" Skylar grinned up at him.

Remus Lupin smiled. "Well of course I did, I couldn't miss your eleventh birthday now could I?" and he handed her a gift. She beamed at it and began to open it, regardless of the fact she hadn't opened any of the others. Inside sat a small intricate silver bangle and Skylar beamed at it.

"Something a little home made." Lupin assured when she looked slightly guilty that he'd spent on her. Skylar grinned and pulled it from it's box to put the bangle on her wrist and placed the box on the table with the other gifts.

"Lupin!" Leon came forwards and greeted the man before Dominique and Nathaniel were given the option, instantly moving into a deep conversation with him.

Everyone sung happy birthday to Skylar who cut the cake before Midori distributed the pieces around to the guests.

It was late into the evening when people began to leave the way they came. The Weasleys were one of the final families to go and Skylar stopped them.

"Oh please, wont you stay?"

"Stay?" Mrs Weasley asked

"Yes!" Ginny grinned

"Ginny can sleep with Skylar and we've plenty of room for you all to sleep!" Leon agreed

The Weasley parents tried to disagree but it seemed their children were insistent, when the Rosenwald parents held no argument to them staying they gave in and agreed to do so.

The following morning saw Ginny and Skylar in Skylar's rom which looked as though a bomb had exploded. The two had happily indulged in unwrapping Skylar's many presents. They consisted of clothes, books, jewellery and a rather real looking toy Phoenix.

"What's going on?" Leon opened the door as the girls were laughing at the phoenix that flew around the room before he jumped backwards as the thing hissed past his nose. The girls laughed harder as Ron appeared.

"Looks like a tornado swept through." he said as the girls chuckled.

The Weasleys all stayed for breakfast before departing before lunch time, all thanking the Rosenwalds for the invite to the party and for allowing them to stay the night.

Christmas rocked around quickly and Nicholas was back home for the holidays. In replacement for having been invited the previous year the Rosenwalds invited the Weasleys around. They had a glorious Christmas dinner of the usual roasts and puddings. It snowed that Christmas as well and the Weasley and Rosenwald children found themselves out in the large Rosenwald garden building snowmen, throwing snowballs, playing Quidditch on the mini pitch the Rosenwalds had and Ron and Leon had a go at the giant chess set outside, the children clearing them of the snow. They were so frosty however that the giant pieces looked slightly ominous.

"But Wizard chess is violent?" Fred said

"They've got a spell that fixes them all back up when they're done." Skylar assured.

"Of course." the twins muttered earning a laugh from Nick.

The Christmas holidays ended and Skylar and Leon were left alone as Nick had to return to school. Skylar however was overjoyed, as in just half a year she'd be off to Hogwarts finally.

"I'm eleven and I'll get my letter and get to go on train." she listed excitedly

"While Leon and I will just have to go on excursions to keep us entertained." Dominique smiled to her son who didn't know whether he was okay with this or not.

"I wanna go too mum."

"You will Leon."

"But not for ages."

"It's only a year." Skylar said "This year felt like it zipped past."

They passed Nicholas' birthday, sending him gifts as they had the last year and also Leon's. They went out for lunch and went to the beach as the weather began to warm up before going home. Midori made a glamorous dinner followed by a large chocolate cake who's left overs lasted the next few days.

June arrived and Nick returned from school, along with several letters as to the disturbances he and the Weasley twins had caused over the year.

Dominique was not impressed and Skylar and Leon hid behind the banisters that looked over the entrance hall as their mother's voice sounded up through the entire large mansion.

"I don't think I've ever heard mum so angry." Leon whispered

"I think it's more disappointed." Skylar added quietly.

"Think Dad'll start going?" Leon wondered

"I think Dad did worse when he was Nick's age, that's clearly where he got it from."

"What about us?"

"Let's hope we're smart like mum." Skylar mumbled and Leon chuckled as their mother's voice sounded again.

"Don't you think she's a little over doing it?" Leon asked

"Well they did bewitch a corridor and cause people to sink to their knees and get stuck." Skylar reminded his brother.

"Those twins are a bad influence on you!" Dominique's voce sounded from the living room.

"Who said it was their idea!" Nicholas responded.

Skylar and Leon shared an unsure look.


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12:

Skylar was up on the morning her letter was to come earlier than she had been when Nicholas received his. Her room was dark still and she lay staring at the ceiling as a slight bit of light began to slowly creep through the gaps in the curtains.

Skylar turned to her window and watched as the black became grey before she sat up and moved to the window. There was a slight light around the horizon and the sky was being tinted pink. The girl knew it was far too early for any owls to be around but her eyes scanned the dark grey sky regardless.

Ignoring the empty sky Skylar moved for her door and moved into the dark hallway. Her eyes scanned the darkness outside, the sun's first rays having not breached over the large mansion and onto the garden yet. Skylar moved to one of the windows and stared down at the darkness, at the leaves that swayed without a breeze and others that twitched to remove a bug. She glanced upwards at the sky again before moving for the staircase. Skylar moved down into the entrance of the mansion and into the hall, past the ballroom and down to the kitchen.

Midori was running around and beginning to prepare for the day, she had breakfast bubbling on the stove in the form of porridge. The elf stopped and turned to Skylar before grinning.

"Miss Skylar." she bobbled over to the girl, two thirds of her height. "Would Miss Skylar like some breakfast?"

"Can I eat it outside?" Skylar asked softly.

The big brown eyes looked at her with some concern.

"Is Miss Skylar alright?"

"Yeah, just tired. It's early." Skylar shrugged before she moved to the back door from the kitchen. Out on the patio was a glass table and a set of chairs around it, in the wall in which the kitchen was concealed behind was a fireplace, almost as large as the one connected to the floo network.

Skylar moved over to the table and sat herself in one of the chairs. The eleven year old pulled her knees to her chest, her feet on the chair, before staring up at the sky, which was now a grey blue. The rays of sun light were shining over the roof of the mansion in streams, being broken up by the clouds in the sky.

Midori came running from the house with a pair of mitts, a bowl in her hands and a spoon, which she placed before Skylar, bowing afterwards.

"Thank you Midori." She smiled at the elf who bowed again before trotting off back to the kitchen. Skylar sat there, playing with the spoon in her porridge. Occasionally some of the food went into her mouth as she waited away the morning. It wasn't long before the sun was streaming over the garden before her, and her brothers were awake.

Breakfast rolled around and Nicholas, Leon and their parents were sitting the table, all waiting for Skylar.

"Where's Sky?" Nick questioned as Midori was placing the porridge, honey, sugar, and fruits on the table for them all.

"Miss Skylar has already had breakfast." Midori admitted "She's outside on the Kitchen patio."

Dominique and Nathaniel shared a look before the auburn haired women smiled and got up from her seat. Skylar, her bowl empty, was rocking slightly in her chair.

"You alright?" Skylar looked up to see her mother beside her.

"Yeah…" she answered

"Midori said you've been out here for a few hours, what were you doing up so early?" Dominique questioned as she sat beside her daughter.

"Nothing."

"Nothing?" the women rose an eyebrow. "It wouldn't be because your acceptance letter is coming would it?"

"But what if I'm not accepted!" Skylar suddenly burst out. Dominique looked at her surprised.

"What are you talking about?"

"What if the letter never comes?" Skylar worried. "What if they don't want me? What if I can't go?"

The feeling of doubt had been nagging at the girl all morning and had woken her up from her slumber.

"Oh honey." Dominique sighed. "Skylar, your name has been down to go to Hogwarts since you were born. And why would they not accept you?"

"What if I'm not good enough?"

"Well you're not going to get any better by not being accepted are you?" Dominique chuckled

"That's not what I meant."

"I know what you meant. Hogwarts is not discriminatory like that." Dominique stroked her daughter's hair. "Many people have judged Hogwarts because of some of the people that have been let in, but it is still the best school there is. It produces the finest witches and wizards and aims to help everyone. Besides, for what reason would they turn you away?" Skylar lowered her gaze.

"I don't know. I guess suddenly being so close to going myself…"

"You started to worry it was too good to be true?" Dominique smiled fondly at her daughter. Skylar looked guilty but she slowly nodded.

"There is no reason Hogwarts would not want someone as gifted as you are Skylar. They accepted Nicholas, they'll accept you and they'll ask for Leon as well. With the brilliance of my children there's no reason they wouldn't." Dominique smiled and Skylar returned it before she nodded.

"Thanks mum."

"Miss Skylar." Midori came out with an envelope, of yellow parchment, in her hands and stood beside the girl. The girl eyed the envelope in the elf's hands as she handed it up to her. "This came for you Miss." Skylar looked at her mother who nodded before she reached for the envelope. Midori bowed, grabbed the empty bowl off of the glass table before she ran back inside.

The envelope was thick and heavy, and the address was written in emerald-green ink. There was no stamp.

 _Miss S. Rosenwald_

 _Rosenwald Estate_

 _Lansdown Ln_

 _Lansdown_

 _Bath_

On the back was a purple wax seal bearing a coat of arms; a lion, an eagle, a badger, and a snake surrounding a large letter _H._

Skylar took a deep breath and she slipped her thumb under the lip of the envelope and pulled, breaking the perfect wax seal. Inside were two more pieces of parchment, one bearing a letter. It was this one that Skylar pulled out first. She took a deep breath before unfolding it and looking at it's contents.

HOGWARTS SCHOOL

 _of_ WITCHCRAFT _and_ WIZARDRY

Headmaster: Albus Dumbledore

(Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc., Chf. Warlock,

Supreme Mugwump, International Confed. of Wizards )

 _Dear Miss. Rosenwald,_

 _We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment. Term begins on September 1. We await your owl by no later than July 31. Yours sincerely,_

 _Minerva McGonagall,_

 _Deputy Headmistress_

As she looked through the letter Skylar's smile grew more and more before she was out of her seat, cheering and jumping around. Dominique chuckled at her daughter as she turned to her mother.

"I'm going! They want me! I've been accepted!" she cheered, beaming like there was no tomorrow.

Her shouts and cries caught her brother's attention and Nicholas and Leon came running out through the kitchen door.

"What's going on?"

"We thought something had happened." Leon confessed

"It's nothing, your sister just got her Hogwarts letter." Dominique assured. Nick grinned while Leon looked excited and then he sighed.

"Guess it was inevitable." Nick nudged his brother chuckling as Skylar pulled out the other piece of paper from the envelope. This one held a list of all the things she needed.

HOGWARTS SCHOOL _of_ WITCHCRAFT _and_ WIZARDRY

UNIFORM

First-year students will require:

1\. Three sets of plain work robes (black)

2\. One plain pointed hat (black) for day wear

3\. One pair of protective gloves (dragon hide or similar) 4. One winter cloak (black, silver fastenings)

Please note that all pupils' clothes should carry name tags.

COURSE BOOKS

All students should have a copy of each of the following:

 _The Standard Book of Spells (Grade 1)_ by Miranda Goshawk

 _A History of Magic_ by Bathilda Bagshot

 _Magical Theory_ by Adalbert Waffling

 _A Beginners_ _'_ _Guide to Transfiguration_ by Emeric Switch

 _One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi_ by Phyllida Spore

 _Magical Drafts and Potions_ by Arsenius Jigger

 _Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them_ by Newt Scamander

 _The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection_ by Quentin Trimble

OTHER EQUIPMENT

1 wand

1 cauldron (pewter, standard size 2) 1 set glass or crystal phials

1 telescope

1 set brass scales

Students may also bring an owl OR a cat OR a toad

PARENTS ARE REMINDED THAT FIRST YEARS ARE NOT ALLOWED THEIR OWN BROOMSTICKS

"Mum, can we go right to Diagon Alley?" Skylar asked beaming as she read the list.

"Well you're books aren't going to buy themselves." Dominique smiled. Skylar beamed and immediately went to run inside.

"Skylar." the girl stopped and turned to her mother. "Would you like to get dressed first?" the girl looked down to find herself still in her pyjamas before she smiled at her mother and ran inside to head for her room.

"Are you boys coming?" Dominique asked as she stood to her feet. "I assume Nick you have some new things you need?" Nick nodded before raising his own letter with his list in his hand. His mother scanned the contents before nodding.

"Well, you two had better get dressed as well hadn't you?" the two boys were, like their sister, still in their pyjamas. At their mother's word they ran inside to get dressed and Dominique went to find her husband.

The three children all stood before the fireplace, waiting for their mother who came in wearing her travelling cloak.

"Alright, ready?" the three children nodded, Skylar was still beaming as Nick took a pinch of floo powder. The fire had already been lit and he threw it in to turn the orange flames green.

Skylar, in her excitement, instantly stepped forwards first and into the fire.

"Diagon Alley!" with a whoosh she was gone. Leon followed his sister and Nick took his place once he had left. Dominique went last and after spinning through the floo network she found her three children waiting patiently.

"Right then, we have to take a trip through Gringotts first." she explained and she lead the way down the cobbled stone street after tapping her wand to each of her children so that the soot on them jumped away and left them clean. The alleyway was by no means empty as usual, their were many other families who had made an appearance, stocking up on supplies and buying new equipment.

The Rosenwalds walked up the twisting lane until it came into sight, the snowy white building that towered over the other little shops.

The three siblings grinned at it.

The bronze doors were standing out against the white and beside that, wearing a uniform of scarlet and gold, was a goblin. It was shorter than the children, by about a head, it had a swarthy, clever face, a pointed beard and very long fingers and feet.

The three children smiled at the creature as it bowed them inside and their mother lead the way through the bronze doors.

There was a small foyer here where a second pair of doors, this time silver, stood waiting to be opened. These doors had words engraved across them:

 _Enter, stranger, but take heed_

 _Of what awaits the sin of greed,_

 _For those who take, but do not earn,_

 _Must pay most dearly in their turn._

 _So if you seek beneath our floors_

 _A treasure that was never yours,_

 _Thief, you have been warned, beware_

 _Of finding more than treasure there._

A pair of goblins bowed them through the silver doors as well and they entered into a vast marble hall. About a hundred more goblins were sitting on high stools behind a long counter, scribbling in large ledgers, weighing coins in brass scales and examining precious stones through eyeglasses. There were too many doors to count leading off the hall, and yet more goblins were showing people in and out of these.

Dominique eyed the goblins until one was free and she moved towards it.

"Madam Rosenwald!" the goblin said instantly. "Such a pleasure, what can we do for you?"

"I need to retrieve a bit from the Rosenwald vault." she said before handing over a key.

The goblin looked it over before he nodded and called for another goblin, this goblin did so again before another ran to the second with a bag that clanked. The second goblin took the bag from the third, turned to the first goblin, took the key and turned to the family.

"Follow me please." he said and Dominique ushered her children to follow.

They moved across the hall, the goblin clanking before them, and to one of the doors, which was opened and allowed them through. On the other side of the door, was no marble, but a narrow stone passageway. Flaming torches lit the walls and floor, which sloped steeply downwards towards a set of railway tracks in the floor.

The goblin whistled and quickly down the track towards them came a small cart, whizzing at a high speed before it jammed to a stop.

"Come on, in." Dominique said and her three children climbed into the cart with her following, and the goblin before them all at the front.

They were off in a flash, the cart moved quickly and the three children clung to the carts edges, to each other, and to their mother. None of them had ever quite gotten used to the carts of Gringotts, and as their mother tightened her grip slightly, they wondered if they ever would.

The cart swerved, turned, hurtled, and twisted through the passages that wound for miles below the earth and below the Muggles creation of the underground, holding its trains.

They turned left, left, right, left, left fork, right fork, left, left and so it continued, so far that no one could keep track. It was, however, that no one needed to, as the cart was not being steered by anyone and knew the way by itself.

They dove deeper and deeper into the rocks, far down to where the more highly protected and guarded vaults were held. The Rosenwalds being such an old family, they held such a vault. The darkness pressed in on them before the cart began to slow, coming to a jerking stop.

The goblin climbed out first. "This way." the children followed and their mother brought up the rear.

They moved around to a corner before pausing. The goblin raised his clanking bag, pulling something from the depths, before he rose a small metal instrument which he began to shake. The goblin moved out first, shaking the instrument so that it made a clanking noise, and the Rosenwalds followed.

It stood tethered to the ground, it's rear legs baring heavy cuffs from which chains led to enormous pegs driven deep into the rocky floor. Its scales had turned pale and flaky, its eyes were milkily pink and it's face held scars made by vicious slashes, caused it seemed, by hot swords.

The children stared at it with disappointment and Dominique pursed her lips as they followed the goblin.

The dragon itself roared at them before it retreated and trembled. It had been blocking many doors to vaults which now were open to the goblin, who moved towards one, still clanking the metal instrument.

"Mum, why is it so scared?"

"It's the way the goblins trained it." Dominique said to her daughter who looked at the beast sadly.

"Why did they have to hurt it?" Nicholas wondered

"They didn't." she said, a harsh tone to her voice.

The goblin moved to one of the doors where he input the key to the door, and turned it. There were a heap of clicks behind the door and the Goblin then touched the metal. It instantly melted away at the goblin's touch and he stepped inside, then aside, for the family to do the same.

The door resealed behind them, leaving the poor dragon alone in the hallway. The walls were lit with a few torches and the light was shone back, gleaming and sparkling at the new occupants of the room. It was a large cave, with a very high ceiling and wide walls. These walls were stacked and stocked with glittering jewels of emeralds, rubies, diamonds, sapphires and more. Crowns, goblets, galleons, armour and animal skins lined the walls and covered the cave.

The children all beamed at it, marvelled by the sight before them, always amazed by the treasures hidden away and collected by their family. There was even a rather old wand on a cushion, high up and in a glass case for protection.

Dominique moved forwards and collected some of the coins that vastly filled most of the space. The children picked up a few objects here and there.

"Mum, where'd this crown come from?" Skylar asked as she placed it upon her auburn curls.

"One of your many great grandparents." Dominique smiled at her "It used to hold a curse to it, it took many wizards to dispel it." Skylar at the words of a curse, removed the crown immediately and put it straight back, whether it was safe now or not. Nicholas and Leon were snickering as she checked her hair, as if it had been burned or singed.

"Come on then." Dominique smiled and she moved back for the door. The Goblin touched it as the three children were at their mother's side and it melted back away again. The four moved out into the hall as the goblin shook the clankers, causing the dragon to repeat again and all the family to move back to the cart.


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13:

The children moved through the silver and bronze doors of Gringotts and towards the front steps of the large white building.

"Alright dears, Madam Malkin's first." and the children, ahead of their mother, headed off for the store labeled Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions. Nick got inside first, followed by Leon and finally Skylar, her mother behind her.

"Madam Rosenwald, here to fix some robes?" Madam Malkin was there as the door tinged, smiling at Dominique. Madam Malkin was a squat, smiling witch dressed all in mauve.

"Well now you mention it, Nick may need some adjustments." Dominique said thinking, "However, we're here for Skylar's new Hogwarts robes."

"Ah yes, this way dear." Madam Malkin ushered Skylar forwards. "You too young man." Nick quickly moved to follow.

Nick's robes were summoned to the robes shop by Dominique, for Nick to put them on and the seamstress to fix the size.

The two siblings stood on the pedestals and Madam Malkin began to adjust Nick's robes while another assistant pulled robes over Skylar's head and began to pin it to the right length.

"When are you starting then?" Malkin asked Leon.

"Next year."

"Then you'll be back for more then. Right." Malkin nodded, as though this helped her to know better.

Dominique stood waiting as her children were fitted and suited. Leon watched the two women work with slight interest before Nick was dismissed and then Skylar. She stood in her new robes beaming at them.

"Mum can I wear them?" she asked

"No, or they'll be dirty before you even get to Hogwarts." Dominique chuckled

"As if you'd want to wear your Hogwarts robes outside?" Nick said looking surprised. Skylar shrugged.

"Well why not?"

"Come on, we have to get everything else still." Dominique smiled "Thank you Madam Malkin."

"Until next time." the women waved them out.

They moved down the Alleyway, getting Skylar's cauldron, scales, potion ingredients, protective gloves and telescope.

Next was Flourish and Blotts for the books and Skylar vanished inside only to reappear with a whole stack.

"Skylar we're here for your school books." her mother said with a raised eyebrow in amusement.

"I can't have extras?" Skylar asked frowning

"I think we have enough. I'm surprised you can still find books we don't own." Nick said laughing.

"Besides, doesn't Hogwarts have a library?" Leon offered.

"Exactly, just borrow theirs." Nick chuckled. The girl sent her brother a look before she turned and returned the books. The two boys followed her as she freed her hands and then pulled out her list of requirements from it's envelope in her pocket. Her brother's looking with her, Nick over her shoulder.

"Well Nick you'll have _The Standard Book of Spells (Grade 1)_ by Miranda Goshawk so there's no point buying that again. You wont need it will you?" she asked turning to him.

"No I'm up to grade three." he responded.

"Are there any others you don't need that we can reuse?" she handed him the list and he looked them over.

"Well you can likely have _A Beginners_ _'_ _Guide to Transfiguration_ by Emeric Switch. The rest I still use for the moment. Or at least I did last year." he shrugged handing the list back.

"Well that cuts out two books." Skylar went down the line and pulled out books which she handed to Leon to carry before they moved off to the counter where their mother was talking to the shop owner.

"By the way mum, are we meeting with the Weasleys?" Nick asked

"Not today, they were busy today, couldn't all come."

"I thought they would, considering Ron's starting too." Leon said confused

"Yeah but with so many siblings he's probably got most of the things already." Skylar shrugged.

They paid for the books before moving to the next store.

"I think we need Ollivanders now." Dominique said thinking. Skylar beamed before they made their way down the cobbled street towards the wand shop.

Ollivanders was still narrow and shabby, with it's peeling gold letters above the door reading Ollivanders: Makers of Fine Wands since 382b.c. The single wand still lay on its faded purple cushion in the dusty window.

The bell tinkled in the depths of the shop when they entered and Leon moved for the spindly chair, the only one in the room, as everything was dead silent.

"Mr Ollivander." Skylar called, only slightly raising her voice. The shop always gave the feeling of a very strict library where you were hardly allowed to talk much.

"Ahh, Miss Rosenwald, yes I have been expecting you." Mr Ollivander had slipped his way in and to the girl's side almost undetected. The auburn haired girl jumped and turned to him as his soft voice penetrated the silence. Ollivander was still the old man with his wide pale eyes shining like moons through his gloomy shop.

"Hello." she smiled

"After your last visit, yes, I expected you here as soon as you could be." Mr Ollivander smiled at her and she smiled back, not denying her enthusiasm.

"Now then, where should we start," Ollivander mumbled, he looked around the shop as he pulled out a tape measure, and as she remembered Nick being asked, Skylar automatically held out her right hand. The tape measure measured the length of several different places before the wandmaker returned with a few boxes.

"Let's see here, unicorn hair, hawthorn, nine and three-quarter inches." Skylar took the wand before it was gone from her hand. She looked at her fingers surprised at the loss of the wood from between them before turning back to the old man, who'd placed the wand on his desk in the room and was grabbing another out from a box.

"Maple and phoenix feather. Seven inches." that was gone the second her hand made a little movement.

"Dragon heartstring, cherry, eleven and a half inches." this one Skylar was able to wave once before the wand maker snatched it back.

"Tricky customer ay, well, we'll find the right wand." Ollivander muttered.

He tried many different wands, different lengths, different woods and moved through the three different cores of unicorn hair, phoenix feather and dragon heartstring but none of the wands seemed happy with Skylar. As the wands piled up she began to worry. Would no wand choose her?

The pile got so enormous that Ollivander stopped and looked at the girl.

"I guess we'll have to try something a little unique." he decided. Dominique was leaning slightly on the desk while Nick was bored and staring out the window. Leon was swaying slightly on the chair and Skylar stood there frowning.

"Mum, what if there's no wand for me?" she asked her quietly as Ollivander was off down the back.

"Don't be silly Skylar. There's a wand for everyone, we just haven't found the right one yet." Dominique assured her.

Ollivander came back then and the young girl turned to him. He had a wand in his hand which he held to her looking curious and somewhat unsure. It was an ivory, creamy, white colour, unlike any Skylar had seen so far, with intricate designs carved into it.

Skylar took the wand and instantly felt warmth spread through her fingers and right to her toes. She smiled at the wand as she looked at it and moved it, causing sparks to shoot from the end.

"Marvellous." Ollivander smiled "Marvellous!" he took the wand and put it back in a box to bind it.

"It chose me." Skylar smiled at her mother, who nodded.

"An interesting mix. Well, an interesting young lady." Ollivander was muttering to himself.

"Mr Ollivander?" Skylar asked and he turned to her before smiling.

"Your wand Miss Rosenwald, aspen unusually mixed with cherry, the aspen what gives it its white colour. It's twelve inches long and has the core, of a thunderbird tail feather." Dominique looked surprised and the two boys turned to her instantly.

"A thunderbird?"

"It's very unusual to have an Ollivander wand with a core besides unicorn hair, dragon heartstring or a phoenix feather. However, there are a few that are different, this one, for example, using a thunderbird's tail feather. Some have hairs from several other magical beasts." he explained softly. "Thunderbird tail feathers are believed to be tricky to master."

"It is a beast closely related to a phoenix and can influence thunderstorms. It is also highly sensitive to danger." Skylar smiled "They're found mostly in Arizona in the United States."

"And like the beast can sense danger so, it is said, can the wand. Thunderbird tail feather wands have been known to cast their own curses." Ollivander handed her the box and Dominique handed over the money for it.

"Thank you Mr Ollivander." Skylar smiled before she made her way back toward the door. Her brother's followed her and her mother out the door as it closed behind them with a tinkle.

"Of course you'd get a weird wand." Nick said chuckling

"Weird?" Skylar asked looking offended.

"Well how many seven year olds can transfigure things with their mind?" Nick said obviously. Skylar had no response.

"Well, we got all the necessities." Dominique said, pausing on the side of the cobbled stone street as she thought.

"We can go home." Leon realised.

"Well, there is one more thing we need to do." Dominique smiled and the three looked at her. Dominique turned to her daughter.

"We bought Nick an owl, I suppose you'd like one too." Skylar beamed before she paused.

"Actually mum, can I have a cat?" Dominique was slightly surprised.

"You don't want an owl?"

"For what point? You, dad and Nick all have owls and Leon will likely get one too." Skylar shrugged "We have enough owls."

"Well, if you'd like, I will happily get you a cat." Dominique chuckled before she nodded her head. "This way."

The three children once again followed their mother as she wove between the occupants still in the alleyway.

"Where are we going mum?" Nick wondered

"Not Eeylops Owl Emporium?" Leon thought confused

"Of course not, they're for Owls." Skylar said

"No, the one we want is," Dominique stopped and stood outside a shop. "Magical Menagerie." The words were written across the top, naming the store, and Dominique opened the door for the three children.

There wasn't much room inside. Every inch of wall was hidden by cages. It was smelly and very noisy because the occupants of these cages were all squeaking, squawking, jabbering, or hissing.

A pair of enormous purple toads sat gulping wetly and feasting on dead blowflies. A gigantic tortoise with a jewel-encrusted shell was glittering near the window. Poisonous orange snails were oozing slowly up the side of their glass tank, and a fat white rabbit kept changing into a silk top hat and back again with a loud popping noise. Then there were cats of every colour, a noisy cage of ravens, a basket of funny custard-coloured furballs that were humming loudly, and on the counter, a vast cage of sleek black rats that were playing some sort of skipping game using their long, bald tails.

Skylar looked around at the cages with wonder until she came to a rather large one filled with small kittens. There were all sorts of colours, the usual of black, white, patched, ginger, and then there was one with a blue tinge to it's fur and another with red tips on the end.

The cats didn't pay much attention to the girl as she looked into their cage. A black one got up and moved, standing over a ginger one which was lying on the back of a patched brown and white one.

Skylar looked them over before noticing one of the cats had noticed her. It was staring at the girl, and upon noticing her, Skylar stared back.

"How can I help you miss?" the women behind the counter asked Dominique

"My daughter would like one of your cats." Dominique nodded and she turned to Skylar. The girl was still staring at the kitten, it's eyes were a bright blue and it's fur was white, silky looking and it seemed as though the cat glowed somewhat. Skylar had her eyes locked on the animal and the four others in the store stared at her before Nick tapped his sister's shoulder. She jumped slightly and turned to them all. The kitten tilted it's head slightly as the girl had looked away.

"Well, I'd say the hardest decision's made." the shop keeper chuckled. "You'd like the white one, I take it."

Skylar nodded eagerly ad the women opened the cage. The white cat was waiting most patiently as the women reached for it and handed it to Skylar. The kitten instantly rubbed its face against Skylar's cheek and chin as it began to purr and smile.

"Yes, seems like she likes you, a smart match there." the shop keeper chuckled.

"Yes I'd say we'd like that one." Dominique agreed as she reached into her bag and smiled at her daughter.

Dominique bought food, a carrier bag and the essentials required for the new pet while Skylar was enjoying a cuddle with her new friend. She continued to carry the cat even as they walked out of the menagerie and down the cobbled stone street towards the fireplaces and the floo network.

"So, what are you going to call her?" Nick asked his sister. She looked down at the kitten and it looked back with it's wide blue eyes.

"Sapphire?" Leon offered

"That's much too bland." Skylar believed. No she didn't want to pick something boring, she wanted it to be unique.

She stared down at the small cat before her, and it looked back. The cat still seemed to glow, now even more so as they were out in the afternoon sun. There were the obvious choices, Ivory being one, but she didn't like that. It didn't seem to fit.

Skylar eyed her cat before she smiled.

"Meridiem." she said

"Meridiem?" Leon questioned confused

"Means 'glow' in latin." Nick smirked

"I'd say that's fitting." Dominique nodded as she placed an arm around her daughter. "Shall we head home then?" Her three children agreed with nods and they joined the line for those wanting to use the floo network. A few knuts were paid for the floo powder used and with a step into the fire, the family vanished back home one by one.

* * *

 **A thunderbird is Frank from Fantastic Beasts if you needed reminding. The Griffin like bird that controls storms.**


	14. Chapter 14

**And so begins Skylar's year at Hogwarts.**

* * *

Chapter 14:

Skylar's father bought her a trunk to take to Hogwarts and store all her things in. On the lid it had her initials engraved in silver. The trunk stood in the middle of Skylar's room for the rest of July and all of August. Her Hogwarts things had been put into the trunk, but the books had gone in and out as she'd read through them. Her wand sat in it's box on her bedside table, in prime position, watched and looked after carefully.

Meridiem had settled into the giant mansion well. She'd been given a cat scratcher in Skylar's large bedroom and slept mostly on the top most platform, or sitting on it watching Midori cleaning up or Skylar unpacking and repacking her trunk over and over again. The white cat was already very used to her carrier cage and even slept in that sometimes.

Leon was the only one not looking forward to Skylar going to Hogwarts, it left him alone and with no company besides his mother as he was the only one still not going to the great school.

"Only a year." Skylar would tell him.

"That's still so long. I hate being the youngest." he grumbled, earning a chuckle from his siblings.

August seemed to take forever to end as Skylar waited for September 1st, waiting to be able to go to Kings Cross, waiting to be able to get on the Hogwarts express, waiting to see the lovely castle and find out which house would be her's.

Finally the end of August arrived. The family had a large dinner to celebrate Skylar going off to school, and even Leon got excited with her, even more so when she promised to send him lots of owls.

"After all, Hogwarts has it's own school owls, right?" she said turning to Nick.

"Of course." he agreed.

That night Skylar didn't believe she'd sleep at all due to her excitement, but sleep she did and when she woke, it was after the sun had risen.

Breakfast was served slightly earlier than usual in order for them to be ready. Skylar asked her brother all sorts of questions which she'd already asked years before but couldn't stop herself from asking again in her excitement.

The two trunks were taken down the stairs by Midori as well as Mitchum in his cage and Meridiem in her carrier bag. They were piled at the door before the family had finished breakfast.

The five of them stood in the foyer and Skylar frowned at the lot of them plus the trunks and animals.

"How are we going to get to Kings Cross?" she asked worried.

"Don't worry, I've arranged for such." her father smiled at him. And within that minute there was a knock on the door.

Leon, in his curiosity, ran forwards to open the door and found a ministry offical there. Along with that was a car behind him on the front drive. The three children beamed at one another. Leon ran straight for the car, Skylar grabbed Meridiem's carrier while Nick grabbed Mitchum's cage and they ran after their younger sibling.

Their parents chuckled before Nathaniel waved his wand and the trunks shot through the door, to the car where the trunk opened and the two trunks fit themselves into the much too small a space easily.

The three children sat themselves in the back of the car and looked around it surprised.

"Are cars always this roomy?" Skylar wondered

"It seems bigger on the inside." Leon agreed

"Must be an extension charm or something." Nick shrugged as the Ministry official climbed into the drivers seat and their parents into the passenger. It was elongated to fit the two adults and they shared an impressed look.

"I think this was a rather good idea." Dominique said and Nathaniel nodded.

"Depending on how this goes I might invest in one."

"Weren't you already considering that?" Dominique asked smiling and her husband shrugged with a smile.

The driver turned on the engine and with Mitchum's cage stowed on the floor between Nick's knees and Meridiem's bag on Skylar's lap they drove down the drive and to the large entrance gate, through it as it opened, and down the road.

The three siblings sat in silence. Skylar stared out the front windscreen, as she sat in the middle between her brothers, her excitement and anticipation building so much she had trouble sitting still. Leon was watching the landscape move past out his window beside him. Nick was daydreaming as he stared out his, his fingers stuck in through the bars of Mitchum's cage and brushing against the owls feathers here and there.

The three children were all alert when they entered London. Double decker buses covered the roads as well as cars in all shapes, colours and sizes. The roads varied from cobbled stone to tarmac, the building's blocked the sun from view here and there and bathed the city in it's shadows.

They moved around and through the traffic, somehow it seemed the car skipped over the block in the roads, it didn't seem to sit behind the others waiting but was always moving as though flying.

Kings Cross station was teaming with people, hardly any of them looking out of place as the Ministry man pulled up beside the station.

"Here you are Sir."

"Thank you." Nathaniel responded before he opened his door. Nicholas did the same and the three children climbed out of the back. Dominique watched the three children as Skylar jumped up and down, causing Meridiem to meow in complaint and Nathaniel went to collect a few trollies.

"Skylar, stand still." Dominique said. But she wasn't watching her daughter, Dominique was looking around the station, as though searching for something.

"I can't help it…" Skylar said before she noticed her mother. "Mum, are you alright?" Dominique looked down at her daughter confused before she registered what she'd said.

"Oh, yes. Skylar, do me a favour, keep an eye out for a black haired boy wont you." Skylar looked at her mother confused as her father returned. The trunks were loaded up onto the trollies by the Ministry man and Mitchum and Meridiem were added on top.

"Thanks." Nathaniel shook the man's hand before he got back into the car and drove away. Nathaniel took Skylar's trolley for her and he and Nicholas moved first with the luggage. Leon took his mother's hand and Skylar quickly hurried after her father. Dominique was still looking around and Skylar, noticing this, glanced around too.

"Hold up Nate." Dominique called and the man pulled his trolley to a halt, Nick doing the same.

"There isn't that much time Dom, what's wrong?" the women was looking around as her daughter huffed impatiently.

She stopped however as something caught her eye. A little ways off, by platforms nine and ten, stood a boy. His hair was black and unruly, sticking up at all different angles. He had glasses on his nose and his clothes were far too baggy for him. Skylar watched him for a moment, he was talking to a guard, who looked rather irritated. Upon further inspection Skylar noticed he had a lovely snowy owl with him on his trolley. It seemed however, that this boy, was alone. Skylar looked around but there was no one else waiting around watching him.

Without a word to her parents the eleven year old girl walked across the station and towards the boy as the guard walked off on him looking rather irritable.

"Are you alright?" she asked when she approached him and he turned to her surprised. She'd startled him. "Sorry, didn't mean to creep up on you." she smiled.

"I'm fine." the boy returned, though he looked rather panicked. Skylar looked him over in disagreement before searching his eyes. They were a rather brilliant green. She smirked ever so slightly, as though striking some new information, before trying to hide it by rolling her lips and turning to his owl.

"Your owl's gorgeous. What's her name?" she wondered

"Hedwig." he responded before he stopped and looked at her, in a mix of surprise and confusion. "You don't think having an owl is strange?" he asked her.

"Of course not, they're very useful. Everyone who knows how smart they are at finding their way has one." Skylar grinned and Harry looked her over. He seemed to be struggling with something.

"You wouldn't happen to—" he stopped. "I'm off to school."

"Taking a train?" Skylar asked and he nodded, glancing around as well.

"I'm doing the same." she smiled and he snapped his attention back to her instantly. "Going to one of the finest schools that can offer the education I need."

"You need a special education?" he asked looking confused.

"You could see it that way." she nodded "What's your school called?"

"You might not know it." he said shaking his head nervously. She grinned and he was surprised by it.

"Try me." she crossed her arms in waiting. He pursed his lips.

"It's called Hogwarts."

"No way!" she said sarcastically before she chuckled. The boy looked at her unsurely.

"Skylar!" the girl turned to find her mother beside her. "What have I said about running off!" she scolded. She stopped when she saw the boy before her daughter.

"Sorry mum, but he looked lost." Skylar smiled at him. She held her hand out and the boy looked at it, before taking it slowly.

"My name's Skylar. Skylar Rosenwald. This is my mum, Dominique. I'm going to Hogwarts too." Harry looked at her as though the sun had risen. "What's your name?" she asked

"Harry." Dominique smiled and he looked at her surprised. "You do look an awful lot like your father." she smiled.

"Mum," Skylar frowned "Don't you think it's a bit alarming to have someone you don't know, know you?" Dominique chuckled

"Regardless, we must get you two onto the platform." she said

"You know where the platform is?" Harry asked

"Of course."

"Hurry up Skylar!" Skylar, Dominique and Harry all turned to see Nicholas with Nathaniel, who still had Skylar's trolley, and Leon. As they watched Nicholas turned, his trolley position to face the wall between platforms nine and ten. He marched towards the platform and in a blink of an eye he disappeared between the dividing barrier.

"Come on." Dominique smiled. Skylar nodded and turned to Harry.

"Come on, we'll help you get onto the platform, and onto the train." Skylar smiled and she moved to help him with his trolley. Harry looked at her surprised but pushed the trolley with her as her father set up her own trolley for her to stand beside.

"Alright." Skylar said. "Platform nine and three-quarters is on the other side of the barrier." she said to Harry, speaking slightly lower due to passer-biers. "To reach it, you need to go through the barrier."

"Through?" Harry asked surprised.

"Pretend the barrier is an illusion… or a… what's the word? What are those things that Muggles have, they're there but you can pass right through them?"

"Hologram?" Harry offered

"Yes!" Skylar agreed. "It's not really there, it's fake to fool the muggles." she put her hands on her trolley and turned back to him. "I've never done it with a trolley, but watch me." she grinned before turning to the wall. Skylar walked towards the wall, walking a little quicker before she got to the wall and passed right through it.

Skylar beamed at the sight before her. The scarlet steam engine was waiting next to the platform packed with people. A sign overhead said Hogwarts Express, eleven o'clock.

Skylar quickly moved out of the way and waited. Her father came through next and he smiled at her before taking her trolley for her again.

"What about Harry?" As Skylar said that the boy in question came running onto the platform with his eyes squeezed shut.

"Harry!" he opened his eyes and looked around before spotting Skylar grinning at him. "Come on, we need to get on the train!" she said bouncing over to him in excitement.

"This way, having gone on the great train more times than I care to count I know where you'll always find a seat." Nathaniel smiled and he lead the way for the two eleven year olds to follow him. Skylar tugged on Harry's arm, who looked unsure but at her request he began to follow her and her father.

Smoke from the engine drifted over the heads of the chattering crowd, while cats of every colour wound here and there between their legs. Owls hooted to one another in a disgruntled sort of way over the babble and the scraping of heavy trunks.

The first few carriages were already packed with students, some hanging out of the window to talk to their families, some fighting over seats.

"Gran, I've lost my toad again." Skylar looked around to see Neville and smiled.

"Oh, _Neville,_ " the old woman, his grandmother, sighed.

"Hey Neville!" she called and he jumped, turning to her as she waved.

They passed Lee Jordan, still rather a good friend of the Weasley twins and Nicholas. He was surrounded by a small crowd.

"Give us a look, Lee, go on."

The boy lifted the lid of a box in his arms, and the people around him shrieked and yelled as something inside poked out a long, hairy leg.

The three continued towards the other end of the train as Skylar couldn't stop grinning and Harry was trying to see everything.

"What's your dad's name?" Harry asked Skylar, catching her attention.

"Nathaniel, but people call him Nate." she smiled as she watched her father. She turned back to Harry smiling. "He was best friends with your father." Harry looked at her surprised and she smiled at him as her father stopped.

"End of the train always has empty seats." Nathaniel grinned. He pulled his wand from his pocket and Skylar's trunk went floated straight into the compartment that was empty as Skylar picked up Meridiem. Harry picked up Hedwig's cage and watched in amazement as Nathaniel did the same with his trunk, stowing it neatly in the luggage compartment.

"Where's mum?" Skylar asked looking around "And Leon?"

"Don't worry, your mum knows where to find us." Nathaniel assured, placing a hand on his daughter's head.

"Thanks for your help." Harry spoke up and Nathaniel turned to him.

"Not a problem Harry." he smiled holding out his hand. Harry took it and shook it. "Its good we got to meet you again. You know I knew you when you were only small?" he grinned "Remember visiting you and your parents after they first came home with you." Harry blushed and lowered his gaze.

"Dad." Skylar said hitting her father and eyeing Harry. "He doesn't want to hear things like that."

"Well perhaps he'd rather know what a trouble maker his father was?" Nathaniel said smirking at his daughter as Harry looked up surprised.

"We always used to get into trouble." he winked at Harry.

"Yeah that's where Nick gets it from I think." Skylar chuckled turning to Harry who seemed unsure what to say.

"Skylar!" Leon ran out of the smoke from the train and grabbed his sister. "We thought we'd lost you."

"Like I'd leave without saying goodbye Leon." Skylar grinned she then turned to Harry. "This is my younger brother Leon. He's coming next year."

"Thanks for the reminder." Leon grumbled and Skylar rolled her eyes.

"Harry." he said shaking Leon's hand who nodded.

"I guessed as much, we've got a portrait of your parents with ours on one of our walls, they were all friends at school." Leon shrugged "You look just like him."

"Oh…" Harry said

"Apart from his eyes." Dominique said appearing. "You have Lil's eyes, your mother's. Alright dear, you ready?" Dominique said as she turned to her daughter.

"Yes!" Skylar nodded grinning.

"You'd better get on the train you two." Dominique said. She bent down and kissed her daughter's cheek.

"But where's Nick?" Skylar asked

"Likely he'll be with the twins." Nathaniel believed glancing up the platform.

"Then where's Ron? He's coming too." Skylar said trying to see the red headed family.

"I'm sure he'll already be onboard somewhere." Dominique said. She placed a hand on her daughter's cheek and smiled at her.

"Have a lovely time."

"Write to me!" Leon demanded of his sister and she nodded.

"Promise." she said before hugging her brother, her mother again and then her father.

"And you have a good time too Harry." Dominique said "I'm sure you'll enjoy Hogwarts." Harry merely nodded before he climbed on board.

"We're going to go and see if we can find Nick to wish him off." Dominique told her daughter and she nodded. "Send us an owl when you get your house wont you?"

"Promise." she nodded again before she waved to her parents, had another hug with her mother and they moved down the platform, allowing Skylar to get onto the train after Harry.


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15:

Skylar entered the compartment where her and Harry's things were and sat down beside the window as Harry sat opposite her.

"You don't mind us sharing a compartment right?" she asked

"No of course not." Harry responded surprised by the question.

"I'd hate to be a bother. And sorry about my parents. It must be a bit weird having people you don't know recognise you like that." she frowned.

"Happened at the Leaky Cauldron too." he murmured. She pursed her lips and nodded.

"Sorry about that."

He was watching her, but she didn't say anything more. She knew, as a pureblood and with her parents being so high in the ministry, what it was like to be watched. What she didn't know was how confronting everything must be for the boy sitting opposite her.

 _What if he doesn't know…?_ she wondered suddenly.

Skylar looked at Harry and he suddenly spoke.

"You have two brothers?" he asked and she nodded.

"Nicholas is two years older, he's going into his third year. Leon's a year and a bit younger than me." she smiled

"And both your parents are wizards?" she nodded again"And everyone in your family are wizards?" he seemed intrigued.

"Yeah, every one of them. I mean there might be some really distant person I don't know about but," she shrugged.

"What's that like?"

"What?" she wondered a little confused as to which he was referring to.

"Living with wizards?" Harry elaborated

"Well I don't know, what's it like living with Muggles? I don't know how muggles live so I can't really compare them." she said thinking before she smiled "I can at least promise that there's more magic in my house than their's." she giggled slightly.

"It'll be better than the Dursleys." Harry said looking out the window and Skylar frowned.

"Are they terrible?" she said softly. He looked at her surprised. "I'm sorry, I don't mean to pry." she looked down before she looked up at him again and took a breath. "I was wondering, given you did grow up with muggles, whether anyone's told you anything?"

"Like what?" he asked confused

"Well about you? Who you are?"

"You mean about what happened to my parents?" he asked and she nodded. He nodded in return. "Hagrid told me about how Voldemort killed my parents and tried to kill me." he admitted. Skylar looked at him in absolute shock.

"What?" he asked as her mouth was agape and her eyes wide.

"S-Sorry, it's just, no one says his name so I g-guess I wasn't expecting you to say it." she confessed, stammering slightly. "Although… what did you know of our world before now?" she asked

"Nothing." he said looking miserable. "My aunt and uncle kept it from me."

"Well that'll be why then." she said rolling her eyes as if she was silly for even being surprised. "You say his name because you don't know to fear him like others in our world." they were silent for a moment. In that time a whistle blew and there was a lot of running on the platform. The two watched as many students scrambled to hurry and get on the train, parents waved from the platform, children poked their heads out of the windows. Skylar looked to try and see her parents one last time and Leon but they were hidden somewhere in the crowd and with the smoke.

She sat herself back in her seat with a smile and then grinned.

"I don't know about you, but this is the most exciting thing ever!" Skylar said looking at Harry, bouncing slightly in her chair and he grinned back at her.

The train rounded a corner and houses began to flash past the window. Skylar moved to Meridiem's carrier bag beside her and opened it so that the cat could stretch and moved over to the girl, climbing onto her lap purring.

"You got a cat?" Harry asked and she nodded.

"My brother and parents have got owls and Leon will likely get an owl too. I wanted something different." she shrugged. "This is Meridiem."

The door of the compartment slid open and the two looked up to see Ron standing there.

"Hey Ron. I was wondering where you were." Skylar grinned.

"You've got a cat!" Ron said instantly, not even greeting her, and she looked at him confused before she understood.

"Oh I forgot about Scabbers!" she said "Where is he?" Ron pointed to his jacket pocket.

"Well, Meridiem was here first." Skylar decided

"I can't come in here with Scabbers with that cat here!"

"So I'll let her out for half the journey and you can let Scabbers out for the other half. It's only fair." Ron scowled at her but he slumped into a seat beside her in agreement anyway.

"You don't have to sit with me if you don't want to." Skylar said stubbornly. Ron said nothing.

Skylar turned to Harry.

"Harry this is Ron Weasley. His brothers are good friends with Nick." she smiled and Harry smiled at him. "Ron," Skylar said and he looked at her "This is Harry." she refrained from his last name.

Ron didn't get a chance to speak as the compartment door slid open again.

"There you are Skylar." Nick was there with the twins.

"Hey. Fred, George." Skylar greeted them all, smiling.

"Skylar, making friends already?" Fred grinned

"Is that wrong?" she asked and he shrugged emptily.

"Hey, Ron." the twins addressed their brother. "Listen, we're going down the middle of the train — Lee Jordan's got a giant tarantula down there."

"Right," mumbled Ron.

"You look familiar." Nick said looking at Harry.

"Nick this is Harry, we just helped him through the barrier." Skylar reminded him.

"Oh yeah!"

"Harry? Harry who?" Fred asked interested.

"Blimey," said George. "Are you — ?"

"He is," said Fred. Harry looked at Skylar who sighed. "Aren't you?" he added to Harry.

"What?" said Harry.

" _Harry Potter_ ," chorused the twins.

"Oh, him," said Harry. "I mean, yes, I am."

The two boys gawked at him.

"Guys you're staring." Skylar said.

"Sorry. Well, Fred and George Weasley at your service." the twins introduced.

"Nick Rosenwald." Nick gave a wave. "I'll see you likely at dinner Sky."

"Alright." she nodded.

"See you later, then." and the three vanished, the compartment door sliding shut behind them. "Are you really Harry Potter?" Ron blurted out.

"Ron!" Skylar said surprised.

Harry nodded.

"And have you really got — you know…" He pointed at Harry's forehead.

Harry pulled back his bangs to show the famous lightning scar, the mark left by being hit with a killing curse, and surviving. Ron stared and even Skylar couldn't help but look.

"So that's where You-Know-Who—?"

"Yes," said Harry, "but I can't remember it."

"Nothing?" said Ron eagerly.

"Well — I remember a lot of green light, but nothing else."

"Wow," said Ron. He sat and stared at Harry for a few moments. Skylar nudged him and Ron, realising what he was doing, looked quickly out of the window.

"Ron, you've got dirt on your nose?" Skylar said looking at him as his face was turned towards her, looking out the window beside her. Ron rubbed his nose but missed it and still said nothing.

"Are all your family wizards?" asked Harry.

"Er — yes, I think so," said Ron. "I think Mom's got a second cousin who's an accountant, but we never talk about him."

"So you must know loads of magic already."

Skylar chuckled. "Yeah uncontrolled magic that get's out of hand and causes disaster. None of us know how to control our magic, that's what school's for." Skylar admitted

"Coming from you." Ron snorted

"So I have a bit of a knack for it, that doesn't mean I'm perfect."

"I've seen you do plenty."

"Not with a wand you haven't though." Skylar added. Ron rolled his eyes before turning back to Harry.

"I heard you went to live with Muggles," said Ron. "What are they like?"

"Horrible — well, not all of them. My aunt and uncle and cousin are, though." Skylar frowned.

"My mum'll hate to hear that." Skylar sighed.

"Why?"

"Well, she's your godmother." Skylar shrugged "After what happened she wanted you to come stay with us, considering she was technically one of your legal guardians. It was insisted you go stay with your mother's family though instead. No one could argue with the decision either." Skylar frowned some more. "She was definitely disappointed to find she couldn't visit either."

"She's my godmother?" Harry asked surprised and Skylar nodded.

"Your mother Lily was mine in return." she shrugged.

Harry stared at her, evidently wondering what it would have been like to stay with Skylar instead.

"Not like you don't have the room either. Weird they didn't let him stay with you." Ron said thinking. "Her house is huge. More a mansion than a house." Ron admitted. Skylar shrugged.

"Old family remember."

"How big?" Harry wondered

"Huge." Ron said again before Skylar could say anything. "Can't even count the rooms. And let's not even start on the garden."

"Wish I had come to you. I wish I'd had wizard brothers too." Harry admitted.

"They're not all their cracked up to be." Skylar chuckled turning to Ron. "For some more than others." Ron grimaced.

"I'd love to have two wizard brothers." Harry believed looking at Ron.

"Five," corrected Ron, looking gloomy. "I'm the sixth in our family to go to Hogwarts. You could say I've got a lot to live up to. Bill and Charlie have already left — Bill was head boy and Charlie was captain of Quidditch. Now Percy's a prefect. Fred and George mess around a lot, but they still get really good marks and everyone thinks they're really funny. Everyone expects me to do as well as the others, but if I do, it's no big deal, because they did it first. You never get anything new, either, with five brothers. I've got Bill's old robes, Charlie's old wand, and Percy's old rat."

With a look sideways at Meridiem who'd fallen asleep in Skylar's lap, Ron reached inside his jacket and pulled out a fat grey rat, which was asleep.

"The bonus of being the only girl." Skylar shrugged.

"His name's Scabbers and he's useless, he hardly ever wakes up. Percy got an owl from my dad for being made a prefect, but they couldn't aff— I mean, I got Scabbers instead."

Ron's ears went pink and he went back to staring out the window.

"Don't worry, I have to wear Dudley's old clothes, which are way to big for me." Harry pulled on them to show as much extra fabric. "Dudley's like a pig really more than a boy. And I've never had any money until I got my letter for Hogwarts. I've never really had a birthday present either… and until Hagrid told me, I didn't know anything about being a wizard or about my parents or Voldemort —"

Ron gasped and Skylar hit him but he looked at her just as surprised.

"What?" said Harry.

" _You said You-Know-Who_ _'_ _s name_!" said Ron, sounding both shocked and impressed. "I'd have thought you, of all people —"

"I'm not trying to be _brave_ or anything, saying the name," said Harry, "I just never knew you shouldn't. See what I mean? I've got loads to learn… I bet… I bet I'm the worst in the class." he looked as though he'd really been worrying about such an idea.

"I doubt it." Skylar said "From what I've heard you had pretty skilled parents, things like that are generally passed down which is why you _both_ ," she gave Ron a pointed look "Will be fine." He rolled his eyes before turning back to Harry.

"You won't be. There's loads of people who come from Muggle families and they learn quick enough." Ron said nodding.

While they had been talking, the train had carried them out of London. Now they were speeding past fields full of cows and sheep.

"Anyway, we can help you learn some things there is to know." Skylar said

"Like what?"

"Well, do you have any questions?" Skylar wondered

"What's Hogwarts like?" he asked and the two purebloods sighed.

"Well that we can't answer, we don't know either till we've gone." Skylar shrugged "Nick says its amazing though. Apparently the stairs move, and the place is huge, it is a castle. There are feasts every night, the Great Hall where we eat has five tables, one for the teachers and then one for each house. The Gryffindor common room is in a tower like Ravenclaw, there are ghosts all over the place, house elves in the kitchen, a forbidden forest full of monsters on the ground and a giant black lake as well." Skylar said excitedly "The teachers aren't bad and there are the classes of charms, transfiguration, defence against the dark arts, history of magic which is apparently boring, potions—"

"Taught by a man who favours his own house." Ron added in

"Herbology which is about magical plants, care of magical creatures, astronomy done at midnight, divination which is like fortune telling, muggle studies, arithmancy— of course some of these we don't do until we get to our third year."

"You know a lot." Harry admitted

"She's been bugging Nick and the twins ever since they went." Ron admitted and Skylar shot him a look.

"So I'm excited. Big deal!"

"So you two have known each other a while?"

"Two years for us. Our parents longer though." Skylar nodded.

"We met in Diagon Alley when Fred and George and Nick started." Ron shrugged

"Leon adores Ron, thinks he's great." Skylar smirked

"And Ginny loves Skylar, my little sister."

"We spent the last two christmases together." Skylar shrugged.

"Can't seem to get rid of her." Ron muttered to Harry and Skylar hit his arm.

"Your parents know each other too?" Harry wondered

"Ron's dad and my parents work at the Ministry together." Skylar said "You know about the Ministry?"

"Hagrid mentioned it." Harry nodded

"Well my parents are Aurors, which are dark wizard catchers." Skylar said

"Her dad's head of the department of Aurors, very important job." Ron added

"Mum hasn't done much of it though because she'd been looking after us mostly, but I feel she'll go right back to it after Leon's at school." Skylar continued

"And he actually catches dark wizards?" Harry asked

"Less so now than back when You-Know-Who was around." Skylar admitted "But there are still some people who do silly things."

Around half past twelve there was a great clattering outside in the corridor and a smiling, dimpled woman slid back their door and said, "Anything off the cart, dears?"

Skylar stood with a grin while Harry leapt to his feet instantly. Ron's ears went pink again and he muttered that he'd brought sandwiches. The two went into the corridor for the cart. Skylar looked over the items and bought some pasties, as well as some sweets just for the sake of it. Harry however got some of everything on the cart and followed Skylar back into the compartment. The girl sat down before turning as Harry tipped everyone onto an empty seat. The girl gapped as Ron stared at it all.

"Hungry, are you?"

"Starving," said Harry, taking a large bite out of a pumpkin pasty.

"That's still a lot of stuff." Skylar chuckled as she ate a cauldron cake.

"I've never heard of half of this." Harry admitted looking at it. Skylar chuckled, swallowing her food.

"Right, I forgot, muggles. Well be careful, I can guarantee our things are different." she said.

Ron had taken out a lumpy package and unwrapped it. There were four sandwiches inside. He pulled one of them apart and said, "She always forgets I don't like corned beef."

"Swap you for one of these," said Harry, holding up a pasty. "Go on —"

"You don't want this, its all dry," said Ron. "She hasn't got much time," he added quickly, "you know, with five of us."

"Well I'll let you have one of my cauldron's Ron." Skylar said and Ron looked between the two as Harry held out a pasty as well.

"Go on, have a pasty," said Harry.

The three together sat there, eating their way through Harry's pasties, cakes and candies as the sandwiches were left forgotten.

"What are these?" Harry asked Ron, holding up a pack of Chocolate Frogs. "They're not _really_ frogs, are they?"

Skylar giggled.

"No," said Ron.

"It's a chocolate frog that still moves. So, like a real frog but made of candy. There's a spell you can do on them." Skylar explained

"But see what the card is. I'm missing Agrippa." Ron said

"What?"

"Oh, of course, you wouldn't know — Chocolate Frogs have cards inside them, you know, to collect — famous witches and wizards. I've got about five hundred, but I haven't got Agrippa or Ptolemy."

Harry unwrapped his Chocolate Frog and picked up the card. He looked at it for a moment before he spoke.

"So _this_ is Dumbledore!" said Harry.

"Don't tell me you'd never heard of Dumbledore!" said Ron. "Can I have a frog? I might get Agrippa — thanks —"

"Of course he hasn't if he was told nothing." Skylar said before turning to Harry. "Dumbledore's the best wizard there is at the moment. He's Headmaster of Hogwarts obviously, but he's been offered the position of Minister of Magic a few times, who's like the Prime Minister, and he's really famous because of how brilliant he is!" Skylar grinned. "Only one You-Know-Who's supposed to be afraid of too." Harry was reading the card as she spoke before glancing at her and turning it back over again.

"He's gone!"

"Well, you can't expect him to hang around all day," said Ron. "He'll be back. No, I've got Morgana again and I've got about six of her… do you want it? You can start collecting."

Ron's eyes strayed to the pile of Chocolate Frogs waiting to be unwrapped.

"Help yourself," said Harry. "But in, you know, the Muggle world, people just stay put in photos."

"What?" Skylar asked surprised

"Do they? What, they don't move at all?" Ron sounded amazed.

"They don't move, or visit other paintings, or talk to you?" Skylar asked and Harry shook his head.

" _Weird_!" Ron exclaimed.

Ron took to scoffing down the chocolate frogs while Harry was interested in the cards, reading the information of wizards after Dumbledore and Morgana, such as Hengist of Woodcraft, Alberic Grunnion, Circe, Paracelsus, Merlin, and the druidess Cliodna. Skylar was chewing on a liquorish wand as Harry picked up a bag of Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans.

"You want to be careful with those," Ron warned Harry. "When they say every flavour, they _mean_ every flavour — you know, you get all the ordinary ones like chocolate and peppermint and marmalade, but then you can get spinach and liver and tripe. George reckons he had a booger-flavoured one once."

Ron picked up a green bean, looked at it carefully, and bit into a corner.

"Bleaaargh — see? Sprouts."

"They're a real risk taker those." Skylar muttered.

"You try this one." Ron said throwing her a yellow one. She looked at it.

"I'd rather not."

"What? Can't take it?" Ron smirked. Skylar rolled her eyes before she bit the corner. She pulled a face and shook her head, the two boys watching her.

"Lemon." she said "Sour." the two boys laughed at her before they began to try the beans. Harry seemed to get a few good ones, toast, coconut, baked bean, strawberry, curry, grass, coffee, sardine, and was even brave enough to nibble the end off a funny grey one Ron wouldn't touch and Skylar couldn't bring herself to try either, which turned out to be pepper.

The countryside now flying past the window was becoming wilder. The neat fields had gone. Now there were woods, twisting rivers, and dark green hills.

There was a knock on the door of their compartment and the round-face of Neville came in looking rather tearful.

"Neville, what's wrong?" Skylar asked as she sat up looking at him.

"Oh, Hi Skylar." he said quietly. "Sorry, but have you seen a toad at all?"

When they shook their heads, he wailed, "I've lost him! He keeps getting away from me!"

"He'll turn up," said Harry.

"Yes," said the boy miserably.

"Don't worry Neville, he's got to be on the train somewhere." Skylar assured.

"Well, if you see him…"

He left.

"Don't know why he's so bothered," said Ron. "If I'd brought a toad I'd lose it as quick as I could."

"Yeah…" Skylar mumbled in agreement.

"Mind you, I brought Scabbers, so I can't talk."

The rat was still snoozing on Ron's lap while Meridiem was fast asleep in her carrier bag.

"He might have died and you wouldn't know the difference," said Ron in disgust. "I tried to turn him yellow yesterday to make him more interesting, but the spell didn't work."

"Why would you want to turn him yellow?" Skylar questioned as she retook her seat.

Ron shrugged. "I'll show you, look…"

He rummaged around in his trunk and pulled out a very battered-looking wand. It was chipped in places and something white was glinting at the end.

"Unicorn hair's nearly poking out. Anyway —"

He had just raised his wand when the compartment door slid open again. Neville was back, but this time he had a girl with him. She was already wearing her new Hogwarts robes.

"Has anyone seen a toad? Neville's lost one," she said. She had a bossy sort of voice, lots of bushy brown hair, and rather large front teeth.

"We've already told him we haven't seen it," said Ron, but the girl wasn't listening, she was looking at the wand in his hand.

"Oh, are you doing magic? Let's see it, then." She sat down. Ron looked taken aback.

"Er — all right."

He cleared his throat.

" _Sunshine, daisies, butter mellow,_

 _Turn this stupid, fat rat yellow._ "

He waved his wand, but nothing happened. Scabbers stayed grey and fast asleep.

"Are you sure that's a real spell?" said the girl. "Well, it's not very good, is it?" Skylar rose her eyebrow and Ron gapped at her. Harry glanced at the two. "I've tried a few simple spells just for practice and it's all worked for me. Nobody in my family's magic at all, it was ever such a surprise when I got my letter, but I was ever so pleased, of course, I mean, it's the very best school of witchcraft there is, I've heard — I've learned all our course books by heart, of course, I just hope it will be enough — I'm Hermione Granger, by the way, who are you?"

She said all this very fast. Skylar was staring at her and Harry looked at Ron as the two boys looked as though she'd been stunned.

"You've read and memorised all our books?" Skylar asked, ignoring her question.

"Haven't you?" she returned

"No, I've only read through them." she said sitting up a little straighter.

"And you are?" Hermione asked again.

"Skylar Rosenwald." she introduced.

"Are you? Your dad's in the Auror office isn't he,"

"Head of it actually." Skylar corrected.

"I read about him in one of the extra books I got." she said

"I'm not surprised."

"And your mother's rather famous too by the sounds of it. Very talented."

"I'm aware." Skylar said and Harry and Ron looked like they were trying not to laugh.

"And you two?" Hermione turned to the boys.

"I'm Ron Weasley," Ron muttered.

"Harry Potter," said Harry.

"Are you really?" said Hermione. "I know all about you, of course — I got a few extra books for background reading, and you're in _Modern Magical History_ and _The Rise and Fall of the Dark Arts_ and _Great Wizarding Events of the Twentieth Century._ "

"Am I?" said Harry

"Goodness, didn't you know, I'd have found out everything I could if it was me," said Hermione. "Do either of you know what House you'll be in? I've been asking around, and I hope I'm in Gryffindor, it sounds by far the best; I hear Dumbledore himself was in it, but I suppose Ravenclaw wouldn't be too bad… Anyway, we'd better go and look for Neville's toad. You three had better change, you know, I expect we'll be there soon."

And she left, taking Neville with her.

"I think my head's spinning." Skylar mumbled

"She seems more excited than you were." Ron said to her "I didn't think that was possible." Skylar shot him a look. "Well, whatever House I'm in, I hope she's not in it," said Ron. He threw his wand back into his trunk. "Stupid spell — George gave it to me, bet he knew it was a dud."

"What House are your brothers in?" asked Harry.

"Gryffindor," said Ron. Gloom seemed to be settling on him again.

"Gryffindor." Skylar nodded.

"Mom and Dad were in it, too. I don't know what they'll say if I'm not."

"My parents were Gryffindor's as well, but my mum's mum was a Ravenclaw, and Hufflepuff before that I think."

"I don't suppose Ravenclaw _would_ be too bad, but imagine if they put me in Slytherin."

"Nick asked my parents about that when he got his letter. They said it wouldn't change anything." Skylar said thinking. "I sure hope not anyway."

"That's the House Vol-, I mean, You-Know-Who was in?"

"Yeah," said Ron. He flopped back into his seat, looking depressed.

"You know, I think the ends of Scabbers' whiskers are a bit lighter," said Harry, trying to take Ron's mind off Houses. "So what do your oldest brothers do now that they've left, anyway?"

"That reminds me, did Charlie get where he wanted to go?" Skylar wondered and Ron nodded.

"He ran off the second he got his results." Ron said before turning to Harry. "Charlie's in Romania studying dragons, and Bill's in Africa doing something for Gringotts," said Ron. "Did you hear about Gringotts? Its been all over the _Daily Prophet,_ but I don't suppose you get that with the Muggles — someone tried to rob a high security vault."

"I saw that." Skylar nodded. "It wasn't long after I went to get my stuff." she nodded "I can't believe anyone attempted it."

Harry stared.

"Really? What happened to them?"

"Nothing, that's why it's such big news. They haven't been caught. My dad says it must've been a powerful Dark wizard to get round Gringotts, but they don't think they took anything, that's what's odd. 'Course, everyone gets scared when something like this happens in case You-Know-Who's behind it."

"Even though he's been gone, or a least quiet, for ten years or so." Skylar sighed.

"What's your Quidditch team?" Ron asked and Skylar groaned.

"Er — I don't know any," Harry confessed.

"What!" Ron looked dumbfounded. "Oh, you wait, it's the best game in the world —" And he was off, explaining all about the four balls and the positions of the seven players, describing famous games he'd been to with his brothers and the broomstick he'd like to get if he had the money. Skylar sat slumped in the seat and Harry smirked at her.

Ron was just taking Harry through the finer points of the game when the compartment door slid open yet again, but it wasn't Neville, or Hermione Granger this time. Three boys entered and Skylar looked up to see Draco, Crabbe and Goyle.

"Draco?" she said instantly.

"Is it true?" he said to Skylar before turning to Harry. "They're saying all down the train that Harry Potter's in this compartment. So it's you, is it?"

"Yes," said Harry. He was looking at the other boys. Both of them were thickset and as usual looked extremely mean. Standing on either side of Draco and acting, as usual, as his bodyguards.

"Oh, this is Crabbe and this is Goyle," said Draco carelessly, noticing where Harry was looking. "And my names Malfoy, Draco Malfoy."

Ron gave a slight cough, which might have been hiding a snigger. Draco looked at him.

"Think my name's funny, do you? No need to ask who you are. My father told me all the Weasleys have red hair, freckles, and more children than they can afford."

"And you think that treatment will allow you to become friends with famous Harry Potter? By insulting those around him?" Skylar asked getting to her feet and crossing her arms.

"Stop that." he snapped at her. She shrugged simply and he glared at her before turning to Harry.

"You'll soon find out some wizarding families are much better than others, Potter. You don't want to go making friends with the wrong sort. I can help you there."

He held out his hand to shake Harry's, but Harry didn't take it. He glanced at Skylar who rose an eyebrow and rose her chin.

"I think I can tell who the wrong sort are for myself, thanks," he said coolly.

Draco Malfoy didn't go red, but a pink tinge appeared in his pale cheeks.

"I'd be careful if I were you, Potter," he said slowly. "Unless you're a bit politer you'll go the same way as your parents. They didn't know what was good for them, either. You hang around with riffraff like the Weasleys and that Hagrid, and it'll rub off on you."

Skylar glared at the boy and both Harry and Ron stood up, Harry beside her and Ron in front of her.

"Say that again," Ron said, his face as red as his hair.

"Oh, you're going to fight us, are you?" Malfoy sneered.

"Unless you get out now," said Harry.

"But we don't feel like leaving, do we, boys? We've eaten all our food and you still seem to have some." Goyle reached toward the Chocolate Frogs next to Ron and picked it up. Skylar held the back of Ron's top as he made to lung forwards and he looked at her as she stared at the frog. Goyle unwrapped it before it changed into a field of beetles in his hand. Goyle let out a horrible yell and jumped into Draco who gasped as he and Crabbe tried to get away the boy.

The three of them turned and disappeared from the compartment, running off at once.

"What happened?" Harry asked surprised.

"I've always been rather good and turning things into beetles." Skylar said with a shrug. "Don't ask me why. I've done it on my brother's more times than I can count." she smirked

"You did that?"

"Like I said, she's good with magic."

"Some things." Skylar said before footsteps sounded and Hermione Granger was back.

"What _has_ been going on?" she said, looking at the sweets all over the floor.

"You know Malfoy?" Ron asked Skylar, ignoring Hermione.

"Yeah, his father's always sucking up to mine." Skylar sighed "I get dragged along to their parties all the time. He was at my birthday remember." she said

"Why?" Ron demanded

"Dad insisted." Skylar sighed before she turned to Harry. "I didn't realise you met him Harry?"

"I met him in Diagon Alley when I got my new robes, in Madam Malkins. He seemed bored by the idea of going to Hogwarts or getting a wand and cared more about racing brooms. Said he was going to bully his father. Was going on about Quidditch and houses. Said he'd be in Slytherin." Harry explained.

"Yeah well his parents were both Slytherin and basically everyone else in his family." Skylar mumbled

"I've heard of his family," said Ron darkly. "They were some of the first to come back to our side after You-Know-Who disappeared. Said they'd been bewitched. My dad doesn't believe it. He says Malfoy's father didn't need an excuse to go over to the Dark Side."

"My dad's not much different. He goes to the parties and invites Lucius just to keep him off our backs." Skylar admitted.

Ron however had turned to Hermione. "Can we help you with something?"

"You'd better hurry up and put your robes on, I've just been up to the front to ask the conductor, and he says we're nearly there. You haven't been fighting, have you? You'll be in trouble before we even get there!"

"Skylar was!"

Skylar gapped at Ron. "I just wanted them out of our compartment. How else do we get rid of them?" she defended.

"Would you mind leaving while we change?" Ron said to Hermione.

"All right — I only came in here because people outside are behaving very childishly, racing up and down the corridors," said Hermione in a sniffy voice. "And you've got dirt on your nose, by the way, did you know?"

Ron glared at her as she left.

"I did tell you earlier." Skylar said to him. "I can try and get it off for you if you'd like?"

"With more magic that you think's out of control?" Ron asked scoffing.

"Fine, I wont then." she reached up to her trunk and pulled out her school robes, taking off her cardigan to pull the robes over her head. She had her back to the boys as Harry peered out of the window. It was getting dark. He could see mountains and forests under a deep purple sky. The train did seem to be slowing down.


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16:

The boys removed their jackets and pulled on the long black robes. Ron's were a bit short for him, you could see his sneakers underneath them.

A voice echoed through the train: "We will be reaching Hogwarts in five minutes' time. Please leave your luggage on the train, it will be taken to the school separately."

"What? Even our animals?!" Skylar asked looking distraught.

"It'll be fine Skylar." Ron said rolling his eyes. Skylar sighed but she nodded before looking out the window. A station had come into sight, lit with a few lanterns. The two boys crammed their pockets with the last of the sweets and Skylar opened the door for the three to join the crowd thronging the corridor.

The train slowed right down and finally stopped. People pushed their way toward the door and out on to a tiny, dark platform. The night was a bit chilly and Skylar shivered before she looked around the platform. A lamp came bobbing over the heads of the students, and a voice called from it's direction: "Firs' years! Firs' years over here! All right there, Harry?"

Hagrid's big hairy face beamed over the sea of heads. He looked down at Skylar who smiled.

"Ah, Skylar, been years since I saw you last, still look like your mother."

"Nice to see you again Hagrid." she nodded up to him. "Nick's told me a bit about you and so have mum and dad."

"Yer brother's one to be reckoned with tha's fo' sure." many other first years were crowding around the few as they heard Hagrid's shouts.

"C'mon, follow me — any more firs' years? Mind yer step, now! Firs' years follow me!"

Slipping and stumbling, they followed Hagrid down what seemed to be a steep, narrow path. It was so dark on either side of them that there must have been thick trees there. Nobody spoke much. Neville sniffed once or twice.

"Yeh'll get yer firs' sight o' Hogwarts in a sec," Hagrid called over his shoulder, "jus' round this bend here."

There was a loud "Oooooh!" and Skylar beamed in delight.

The narrow path had opened suddenly onto the edge of a great black lake. Perched atop a high mountain on the other side, its windows sparkling in the starry sky, was a vast castle with many turrets and towers.

"This is it!" Skylar sad grabbing Ron's arm beside her. "We get our house, we get to see the castle, we get to learn spells, and see all sorts of creatures!" her voice rose a few octaves in her excitement and Ron rolled his eyes.

"Excited Skylar?" Harry asked

"I've been waiting for this moment for ever!" she confessed.

"No more'n four to a boat!" Hagrid called, pointing to a fleet of little boats sitting in the water by the shore. Skylar moved to a boat with three other people while Harry and Ron were followed into their boat by Neville and Hermione.

"Everyone in?" shouted Hagrid, who had a boat to himself. "Right then — FORWARD!"

And the fleet of little boats moved off all at once, gliding across the lake, which was as smooth as glass. Everyone was silent, staring up at the great castle overhead. It towered over them as they sailed nearer and nearer to the cliff on which it stood.

"Heads down!" yelled Hagrid as the first boats reached the cliff; they all bent their heads and the little boats carried them through a curtain of ivy that hid a wide opening in the cliff face. They were carried along a dark tunnel, which seemed to be taking them right underneath the castle, until they reached a kind of underground harbour, where they clambered out onto rocks and pebbles.

"Oy, you there! Is this your toad?" said Hagrid, who was checking the boats as people climbed out of them.

"Trevor!" cried Neville blissfully, holding out his hands. Then they clambered up a passageway in the rock after Hagrid's lamp, coming out at last onto smooth, damp grass right in the shadow of the castle.

They walked up a flight of stone steps and crowded around the huge, oak front door.

"Everyone here? You there, still got yer toad?"

Hagrid raised a gigantic fist and knocked three times on the castle door.

The door swung open at once. A tall, black-haired witch in emerald-green robes stood there. She had a very stern face that gave the impression that this was not someone to cross.

"The firs' years, Professor McGonagall," said Hagrid.

"Thank you, Hagrid. I will take them from here."

She pulled the door wide. The entrance hall was huge! Skylar thought fleetingly it was bigger than her ballroom at home. The stone walls were lit with flaming torches like the ones at Gringotts, the ceiling was too high to make out, and a magnificent marble staircase facing them led to the upper floors.

They followed Professor McGonagall across the flagged stone floor. A drone of hundreds of voices were coming from a doorway to the right — the rest of the school must already be here — but Professor McGonagall showed the first years into a small, empty chamber off the hall. They crowded in, standing rather closer together than they would usually have done, peering about nervously.

"Welcome to Hogwarts," said Professor McGonagall. "The start-of-term banquet will begin shortly, but before you take your seats in the Great Hall, you will be sorted into your Houses. The Sorting is a very important ceremony because, while you are here, your House will be something like your family within Hogwarts. You will have classes with the rest of your House, sleep in your House dormitory, and spend free time in your House common room.

"The four Houses are called Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. Each House has its own noble history and each has produced outstanding witches and wizards. While you are at Hogwarts, your triumphs will earn your House points, while any rule-breaking will lose House points. At the end of the year, the House with the most points is awarded the House cup, a great honour. I hope each of you will be a credit to whichever House becomes yours.

"The Sorting Ceremony will take place in a few minutes in front of the rest of the school. I suggest you all smarten yourselves up as much as you can while you are waiting."

Her eyes lingered for a moment on Neville's cloak, which was fastened under his left ear, and on Ron's smudged nose.

"I shall return when we are ready for you," said Professor McGonagall. "Please wait quietly."

She left the chamber.

"How exactly do they sort us into Houses?" Harry asked Ron.

"Some sort of test, I think. Fred said it hurts a lot, but I think he was joking. Skylar, you know?"

"No. Nick refused to tell us, always said he wanted it to be a surprise." she shrugged.

A few other people were looking terrified as they looked around at one another, no one was talking much, except Hermione Granger, who was whispering very fast about all the spells she'd learned and wondering which one she'd need. Skylar watched the door, waiting for Professor McGonagall to come back, she wanted to know how they were sorted, she wanted to know her house, she wanted to begin her lessons and see what they were like. The idea of a test hardly lingered in her mind. She was so busy staring at the door that she didn't notice the new addition to the room till several people screamed. The girl whipped around in surprise.

"What the — ?" Harry had gasped. So did the people around them.

About twenty ghosts had just streamed through the back wall. Pearly-white and slightly transparent, they glided across the room talking to one another and hardly glancing at the first years. They seemed to be arguing. What looked like a fat little monk was saying: "Forgive and forget, I say, we ought to give him a second chance —"

"My dear Friar, haven't we given Peeves all the chances he deserves? He gives us all a bad name and you know, he's not really even a ghost — I say, what are you all doing here?"

A ghost wearing a ruff and tights had suddenly noticed the first years. Skylar was beaming at them.

"The Hogwarts ghosts!" she whispered to Harry "Apparently there's one who represents each house amongst them."

Nobody answered.

"New students!" said the Fat Friar, smiling around at them. "About to be Sorted, I suppose?"

A few people nodded mutely.

"Hope to see you in Hufflepuff!" said the Friar. "My old House, you know."

"Move along now," said a sharp voice. "The Sorting Ceremony's about to start."

Professor McGonagall had returned. One by one, the ghosts floated away through the opposite wall.

"Now, form a line," Professor McGonagall told the first years, "and follow me."

Skylar moved into the line with everyone else before they walked out of the chamber, back across the hall, and through a pair of double doors into the Great Hall.

She beamed up at the room before her, it was absolutely splendid. It was lit by thousands and thousands of candles that were floating in midair over four long tables, where the rest of the students were sitting. These tables were laid with glittering golden plates and goblets. At the top of the hall was another long table where the teachers were sitting. Professor McGonagall led the first years up here, so that they came to a halt in a line facing the other students, with the teachers behind them. The hundreds of faces staring at them looked like pale lanterns in the flickering candlelight. Dotted here and there among the students, the ghosts shone misty silver. The ceiling above them was not a ceiling, but a sky, velvety black and dotted with stars. A little ways away Hermione whispered, "It's bewitched to look like the sky outside. I read about it in _Hogwarts, A History._ "

It was hard to believe there was a ceiling there at all, and that the Great Hall didn't simply open on to the heavens.

Professor McGonagall was moving as she silently placed a four-legged stool in front of the first years. On top of the stool she put a pointed wizard's hat. This hat was patched and frayed and extremely dirty. Everyone in the hall was staring at the hat and so was Skylar with interest and curiosity. For a few seconds, there was complete silence. Then the hat twitched. A rip near the brim opened wide like a mouth — and the hat began to sing:

" _Oh, you may not think I_ _'_ _m pretty,_

 _But don_ _'_ _t judge on what you see,_

 _I'_ _ll eat myself if you can find_

 _A smarter hat than me._

 _You can keep your bowlers black,_

 _Your top hats sleek and tall,_

 _For I'_ _m the Hogwarts Sorting Hat_

 _And I can cap them all._

 _There_ _'_ _s nothing hidden in your head_

 _The Sorting Hat can_ _'_ _t see,_

 _So try me on and I will tell you_

 _Where you ought to be._

 _You might belong in Gryffindor,_

 _Where dwell the brave at heart,_

 _Their daring, nerve, and chivalry_

 _Set Gryffindors apart;_

 _You might belong in Hufflepuff,_

 _Where they are just and loyal,_

 _Those patient Hufflepuffs are true_

 _And unafraid of toil;_

 _Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw,_

 _If you_ _'_ _ve a ready mind,_

 _Where those of wit and learning,_

 _Will always find their kind;_

 _Or perhaps in Slytherin_

 _You_ _'_ _ll make your real friends,_

 _Those cunning folk use any means_

 _To achieve their ends._

 _So put me on! Don_ _'_ _t be afraid!_

 _And don_ _'_ _t get in a flap!_

 _You_ _'_ _re in safe hands (though I have none)_

 _For I'_ _m a Thinking Cap!_ _"_

The whole hall burst into applause as the hat finished its song. It bowed to each of the four tables and then became quite still again.

"So we've just got to try on the hat!" Ron whispered to Harry. "I'll kill Fred, he was going on about wrestling a troll."

"As if you'd believe anything he said." Skylar whispered to him.

Professor McGonagall now stepped forward holding a long roll of parchment.

"When I call your name, you will put on the hat and sit on the stool to be sorted," she said. "Abbott, Hannah!"

A pink-faced girl with blonde pigtails stumbled out of line, put on the hat, which fell right down over her eyes, and sat down. A moment's pause —

"HUFFLEPUFF!" shouted the hat.

The table on the right cheered and clapped as Hannah went to sit down at the Hufflepuff table as the ghost of the Fat Friar waving merrily at her.

"Bones, Susan!"

"HUFFLEPUFF!" shouted the hat again, and Susan scuttled off to sit next to Hannah.

"Boot, Terry!"

"RAVENCLAW!"

The table second from the left clapped this time; several Ravenclaws stood up to shake hands with Terry as he joined them. "Brocklehurst, Mandy" went to Ravenclaw too, but "Brown, Lavender" became the first new Gryffindor, and the table on the far left exploded with cheers; the Weasley twins were catcalling. Skylar noticed her brother who grinned at her and she grinned back. "Bulstrode, Millicent" then became a Slytherin, joining the table that didn't look much pleasant.

"Finch-Fletchley, Justin!"

"HUFFLEPUFF!"

Every now and then the hat shouted immediately, and others it took a while to decide on the house.

"Finnigan, Seamus," the sandy-haired boy next to Harry in the line, sat on the stool for almost a whole minute before the hat declared him a Gryffindor.

"Granger, Hermione!"

Hermione almost ran to the stool and jammed the hat eagerly on her head.

"GRYFFINDOR!" shouted the hat. Ron groaned.

When Neville Longbottom was called, he fell over on his way to the stool. The hat took a long time to decide with Neville. When it finally shouted, "GRYFFINDOR," Neville ran off still wearing it, and had to jog back amid gales of laughter to give it to "MacDougal, Morag."

Malfoy swaggered forward when his name was called and was placed as expected: the hat had barely touched his head when it screamed, "SLYTHERIN!"

Malfoy went to join his friends Crabbe and Goyle, looking pleased with himself.

There weren't many people left now.

"Moon"… "Nott"…, "Parkinson"…, then a pair of twin girls, "Patil" and "Patil"…, then "Perks, Sally-Anne"…, and then —

"Potter, Harry!"

As Harry stepped forward, whispers suddenly broke out like little hissing fires all over the hall.

" _Potter,_ did she say?"

" _The_ Harry Potter?"

He sat on the stool and the hat dropped over his eyes. Everyone watched him. It seemed to take a moment as he sat there before "GRYFFINDOR!"

Harry pulled off the hat and moved towards the Gryffindor table as it cheered like there was no tomorrow, the loudest cheer yet. Percy got up and shook his hand vigorously, while the Weasley twins yelled, "We got Potter! We got Potter!" Harry sat down opposite the ghost in the ruff they'd seen earlier.

"Rosenwald, Skylar!" Skylar almost didn't hear her name over the shouts of the Gryffindors but she walked away from Ron and over to the hat, sat on the stool, she felt the hat grace her hair before, "GRYFFINDOR!"


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17:

Skylar grinned as she got up from the stool and skipped over to the Gryffindor table where Nick was on his feet and the Weasleys were beaming at her too, the table cheering for her. She moved over to sit beside Harry and Nick pat her hair. She waved him off and he laughed as he congratulated her.

And now there were only four people left to be sorted. "Thomas, Dean," a Black boy even taller than Ron, joined the Gryffindor table. "Turpin, Lisa," became a Ravenclaw and then it was Ron's turn. He was pale green by now. The hat went on and a second later it had shouted, "GRYFFINDOR!"

Skylar grinned and clapped as Ron collapsed into the chair beside her.

"Told you there was nothing to worry about." she grinned.

"Well done, Ron, excellent," said Percy Weasley pompously across Harry and Skylar as "Zabini, Blaise," was made a Slytherin. Professor McGonagall rolled up her scroll and took the Sorting Hat away.

Skylar turned towards the Staff Table as Albus Dumbledore got to his feet. He had half-moon glasses sitting on his long, crooked nose, had flowing silver hair, beard, and moustache. He was beaming at the students, his arms opened wide, as if nothing could have pleased him more than to see them all there.

"Welcome!" he said. "Welcome to a new year at Hogwarts! Before we begin our banquet, I would like to say a few words. And here they are: Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak!

"Thank you!"

Skylar found herself laughing as he sat back down. Everybody clapped and cheered. As he sat, on the tables and donning the dishes before her were suddenly all manners of foods. Skylar beamed at it all as it appeared from no where and clearly prepared by the House elves somewhere below them. There was roast beef, roast chicken, pork chops and lamb chops, sausages, bacon and steak, boiled potatoes, roast potatoes, fries, Yorkshire pudding, peas, carrots, gravy, ketchup, and, for some strange reason, peppermint humbugs.

"Is he — a bit mad?" Harry asked Percy uncertainly beside her as she grabbed a spoon and ladled on some food to her plate.

"Mad?" said Percy airily. "He's a genius! Best wizard in the world! But he is a bit mad, yes. Potatoes, Harry?"

The boy stared at everything in shock before he began to take a bit of everything before him.

"Gosh Harry, try not to explode your stomach." Skylar chuckled. He grinned at her as she put a potato in her mouth. The food was all delicious.

"That does look good," said the ghost in the ruff sadly, watching Harry cut up his steak.

"Can't you — ?"

"I haven't eaten for nearly five hundred years," said the ghost. "I don't need to, of course, but one does miss it. I don't think I've introduced myself? Sir Nicholas de Mimsy-Porpington at your service. Resident ghost of Gryffindor Tower."

"It's a pleasure to meet you Sir Nicholas." Skylar grinned glancing at her brother. He winked at her and made a bow as if he'd been the one she'd addressed.

"I know who you are!" said Ron suddenly and Skylar turned to him. "My brothers told me about you — you're Nearly Headless Nick!"

"I would _prefer_ you to call me Sir Nicholas de Mimsy —" the ghost began stiffly, but sandy-haired Seamus Finnigan interrupted.

" _Nearly_ Headless? How can you be _nearly_ headless?"

Sir Nicholas looked extremely miffed, as if their little chat wasn't going at all the way he wanted.

"Like _this,_ " he said irritably. He seized his left ear and pulled. His whole head swung off his neck and fell onto his shoulder as if it was on a hinge. Someone had obviously tried to behead him, but not done it properly. Looking pleased at the stunned looks on their faces, Nearly Headless Nick flipped his head back onto his neck, coughed, and said, "So — new Gryffindors! I hope you're going to help us win the House Championship this year? Gryffindors have never gone so long without winning. Slytherins have got the cup six years in a row! The Bloody Baron's becoming almost unbearable — he's the Slytherin ghost."

They looked across the hall to the second furthest table from them where there was a horrible ghost, with blank staring eyes, a gaunt face, and robes stained with silver blood. He was sat beside Draco who did not look pleased by this.

"How did he get covered in blood?" asked Seamus with great interest.

"I've never asked," said Nearly Headless Nick delicately.

"Wouldn't that be considered indelicate and maybe even rude?" Skylar asked "My great Aunt always gets offended when someone asks her."

"What?" Harry asked

"Skylar has a ghost in her house." Ron said from beside her.

"She refused to pass on after she died of Dragonpox." Skylar sighed.

When everyone had eaten as much as they could, the remains of the food faded from the plates, leaving them sparkling clean as before. A moment later the desserts appeared. Blocks of ice cream in every flavour you could think of, apple pies, treacle tarts, chocolate éclairs and jam doughnuts, trifle, strawberries, Jell-O, rice pudding…

"I love rice pudding!" Skylar beamed as she spooned some onto her place. Around her the talk turned to their families.

"I'm half-and-half," said Seamus. "Me dad's a Muggle. Mom didn't tell him she was a witch 'til after they were married. Bit of a nasty shock for him."

The others laughed.

"What about you, Neville?" said Ron.

"Well, my gran brought me up and she's a witch," said Neville, "but the family thought I was all-Muggle for ages. My Great Uncle Algie kept trying to catch me off my guard and force some magic out of me — he pushed me off the end of Blackpool pier once, I nearly drowned — but nothing happened until I was eight. Great Uncle Algie came round for dinner, and he was hanging me out of an upstairs window by the ankles when my Great Auntie Enid offered him a meringue and he accidentally let go. But I bounced — all the way down the garden and into the road. They were all really pleased, Gran was crying, she was so happy. And you should have seen their faces when I got in here — they thought I might not be magic enough to come, you see. Great Uncle Algie was so pleased he bought me my toad."

"Skylar?" Seamus asked.

"Both parents are wizards. Whole family in fact." she smiled "I have two brother's, an older who's been here two years already and a younger who'll come next year. I was the opposite to Neville, using magic since I could move."

"Yeah, levitating and transfiguring things." Nick joined in from a little ways down the table. Skylar poked her tongue out as several laughed around them.

At the high table, Hagrid was drinking deeply from his goblet. Professor McGonagall was talking to Professor Dumbledore. Another Professor in an absurd turban, was talking to a teacher with greasy black hair, a hooked nose, and sallow skin. With a glance Skylar recognised him. His name was Severus Snape, she'd met him only once when at one of the Malfoy's galahs.

"Ouch!" Harry clapped a hand to his head and Skylar turned to him beside her.

"You alright?" Skylar wondered.

"What is it?" asked Percy.

"N-nothing." he paused and lowered his hand. "Who's that teacher talking to Professor Quirrell?" Harry asked Percy, talking about the teacher in the turban.

"Oh, you know Quirrell already, do you? No wonder he's looking so nervous, that's Professor Snape. He teaches Potions, but he doesn't want to — everyone knows he's after Quirrell's job. Knows an awful lot about the Dark Arts, Snape."

"Nick says he favours his own house. My dad's told me that he went to school with him and they didn't get along at all." Skylar said to Harry.

At last, the desserts too disappeared, and Professor Dumbledore got to his feet again. The hall fell silent.

"Ahem — just a few more words now that we are all fed and watered. I have a few start-of-term notices to give you.

"First years should note that the forest on the grounds is forbidden to all pupils. And a few of our older students would do well to remember that as well."

Dumbledore's twinkling eyes flashed in the direction of the Weasley twins and Nick. Nick and George shared a high five and a few around them chuckled.

"I have also been asked by Mr. Filch, the caretaker, to remind you all that no magic should be used between classes in the corridors.

"Quidditch trials will be held in the second week of the term. Anyone interested in playing for their House teams should contact Madam Hooch.

"And finally, I must tell you that this year, the third-floor corridor on the right-hand side is out of bounds to everyone who does not wish to die a very painful death."

Skylar stared at the headmaster shocked as beside her, Harry laughed, but he was one of the few who did.

"He's not serious?" he muttered to Percy.

"Must be," said Percy, frowning at Dumbledore. "It's odd, because he usually gives us a reason why we're not allowed to go somewhere — the forest's full of dangerous beasts, everyone knows that. I do think he might have told us prefects, at least."

"That's odd, closing a corridor…" Skylar mumbled "Right?" Ron shrugged beside her.

"And now, before we go to bed, let us sing the school song!" cried Dumbledore. The other teachers' smiles had become rather fixed.

Dumbledore gave his wand a little flick, as if he was trying to get a fly off the end, and a long golden ribbon flew out of it, which rose high above the tables and twisted itself, snakelike, into words.

"Everyone pick their favourite tune," said Dumbledore, "and off we go!"

And the school bellowed:

" _Hogwarts, Hogwarts, Hoggy Warty Hogwarts,_

 _Teach us something please,_

 _Whether we be old and bald_

 _Or young with scabby knees,_

 _Our heads could do with filling_

 _With some interesting stuff,_

 _For now they_ _'_ _re bare and full of air,_

 _Dead flies and bits of fluff,_

 _So teach us things worth knowing,_

 _Bring back what we_ _'ve forgot,_

 _Just do your best, we_ _'_ _ll do the rest,_

 _And learn until our brains all rot._ _"_

Everybody finished the song at different times. At last, only the Weasley twins were left singing along to a very slow funeral march. Dumbledore conducted their last few lines with his wand and when they had finished, he was one of those who clapped loudest.

"Ah, music," he said, wiping his eyes. "A magic beyond all we do here! And now, bedtime. Off you trot!"

The Gryffindor first years followed Percy through the chattering crowds, out of the Great Hall, and up the marble staircase. As they walked down the corridors, the people in the portraits whispered and pointed as they passed. Skylar waved to a few of them, smiling sleepily as she moved. Percy led them through doorways hidden behind sliding panels and hanging tapestries. They climbed more staircases, yawning and dragging their feet before they came to a sudden halt.

A bundle of walking sticks was floating in midair ahead of them, and as Percy took a step toward them they started throwing themselves at him.

"Peeves," Percy whispered to the first years. "A poltergeist." He raised his voice, "Peeves — show yourself."

A loud, rude sound, like the air being let out of a balloon, answered.

"Do you want me to go to the Bloody Baron?"

There was a pop, and a little man with wicked, dark eyes and a wide mouth appeared, floating cross-legged in the air, clutching the walking sticks.

"Oooooooh!" he said, with an evil cackle. "Ickle Firsties! What fun!"

He swooped suddenly at them. They all ducked.

"Go away, Peeves, or the Baron'll hear about this, I mean it!" barked Percy.

Peeves stuck out his tongue and vanished, dropping the walking sticks on Neville's head. They heard him zooming away, rattling coats of armour as he passed.

"You want to watch out for Peeves," said Percy, as they set off again. "The Bloody Baron's the only one who can control him, he won't even listen to us prefects. Here we are."

At the very end of the corridor hung a portrait of a very fat woman in a pink silk dress.

"Password?" she said.

"Caput Draconis," said Percy, and the portrait swung forward to reveal a round hole in the wall. They all scrambled through it — Neville needed a leg up — and found themselves in the Gryffindor common room, a cozy, round room full of squashy armchairs.

Percy directed the girls through one door to their dormitory and the boys through another. They moved up their stairs and at the top of the spiral staircase they found a dormitory with first years written on it. Skylar, with Hermione Granger, a girl called Lavender Brown, one of the twins Parvati Patil, a girl with ginger hair Skylar didn't remember the name of, another girl named Kellah and a girl named Fay Dunbar, all entered the room to find four-poster beds with deep red velvet curtains hanging around them. Their trunks had already been brought up and they each grabbed them and dragged them to a bed. Skylar moved to where Meridiem was, having clearly chosen a bed already for her and dropped down on top of it.

"I'm so tired." she mumbled

"That food made me sleepy." Lavender responded

"Better get to sleep, lessons start tomorrow." Hermione said sternly.

"Can't you be pleasant and say hi rather than being bossy?" Skylar asked sleepily. She managed to get herself up, change into her pyjamas and then crawled under her crisp sheets. She didn't hear if Hermione gave her a response for her eyes closed as Meridiem curled up beside her and she drifted off to sleep.


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter 18:

Skylar awoke well rested the following morning. She pulled on her robes and moved off from the dormitory with Hermione Granger, Lavender Brown and Parvati Patil in order to have breakfast in the Great Hall. Hermione was going on about the classes.

"… and transfiguration definitely interests me the most, turning one thing to another. Charms sounds interesting of course Defence Against the Dark Arts is necessary and to learn of the things people do…" no one was really listening to her but she continued to talk without any responses regardless.

At breakfast the first years were given their schedules for the year. Skylar had a piece of parchment and her quill and ink out before her, writing.

 _Dear Mum and dad,_

 _To no one's real surprise, but definitely to my relief, I was sorted into Gryffindor with Nick._

 _I hope you two are well. I have my first classes today and plan to send Leon a letter about them._

 _Your daughter,_

 _Skylar_

The owls arrived as she signed off the letter and Skylar looked up, wondering if luck would be on her side and one of her owls would be here to take the letter, but as it was none of the owls belonging to her family members flew down towards her.

Skylar had to leave breakfast early in order to move off for the Owlery, giving her time to find the place as well. The Owlery was in the top West Tower. It was a circular stone room, rather cold and drafty, because none of the windows had glass in them. The floor was entirely covered in straw, owl droppings, and the regurgitated skeletons of mice and voles. Hundreds upon hundreds of owls of every breed imaginable were nestled here on perches that rose right up to the top of the tower, nearly all of them asleep, though here and there a round amber eye could be spotted through the feathers.

Skylar moved over to a tawny owl and it looked at her.

"Could you send a letter for me?" she held up the parchment.

Skylar made her way back down to the Entrance Hall with her letter safely sent off where she, along with the other first years, were told to set off through the castle to find the rooms they needed for each class. Skylar left as early as she could for the classes in order to find them with enough time. It was not as easy as it seemed. There were a hundred and forty-two staircases at Hogwarts: wide, sweeping ones; narrow, rickety ones; some that led somewhere different on a Friday; some with a vanishing step halfway up that you had to remember to jump. Then there were doors that wouldn't open unless you asked politely, or tickled them in exactly the right place, and doors that weren't really doors at all, but solid walls just pretending. It was also very hard to remember where anything was, because it all seemed to move around a lot. The people in the portraits kept going to visit each other, and the coats of armour all seemed the same.

The ghosts didn't help, either. It was always a nasty shock when one of them glided suddenly through a door you were trying to open. Nearly Headless Nick was always happy to point new Gryffindors in the right direction, but Peeves the Poltergeist was worth two locked doors and a trick staircase if you met him when you were late for class. He would drop wastepaper baskets on your head, pull rugs from under your feet, pelt you with bits of chalk, or sneak up behind you, invisible, grab your nose, and screech, "GOT YOUR CONK!"

Skylar managed to find her rooms without being all too late, she'd caught a glimpse of the caretaker Nick had told her about, Argus Filch, who was a rather unhappy man and seemed to hate children.

"I don't understand why he works here." Skylar said as she was walking with Fay Dunbar to one of the classrooms.

Filch also owned a cat called Mrs. Norris, a scrawny, dust-coloured creature with bulging, lamplike eyes just like Filch's. She patrolled the corridors alone. Break a rule in front of her, put just one toe out of line, and she'd whisk off for Filch, who'd appear, wheezing, two seconds later. Filch knew the secret passageways of the school better than anyone (except perhaps the Weasley twins and Nick) and could pop up as suddenly as any of the ghosts. The students all hated him, and it was the dearest ambition of many to give Mrs. Norris a good kick.

The classes intrigued Skylar just as she'd expected them too. They had to study the night skies through their telescopes every Wednesday at midnight and learn the names of different stars and the movements of the planets. Three times a week they went out to the greenhouses behind the castle to study Herbology, with a dumpy little witch called Professor Sprout, where they learned how to take care of all the strange plants and fungi, and found out what they were used for.

Easily the most boring class was History of Magic, which was the only one taught by a ghost. Professor Binns had been very old indeed when he had fallen asleep in front of the staff room fire and got up the next morning to teach, leaving his body behind him. Binns droned on and on while they scribbled down names and dates, and got Emeric the Evil and Uric the Oddball mixed up.

Professor Flitwick, the Charms teacher, was a tiny little wizard who had to stand on a pile of books to see over his desk. At the start of their first class he took the roll, and when he reached Harry's name he gave an excited squeak and toppled out of sight.

Professor McGonagall was again different. As her persona said, she was not a teacher to cross. Strict and clever, she gave them a talking-to the moment they sat down in her first class.

"Transfiguration is some of the most complex and dangerous magic you will learn at Hogwarts," she said. "Anyone messing around in my class will leave and not come back. You have been warned."

Then she changed her desk into a pig and back again. They were all very impressed and couldn't wait to get started, but soon realised they weren't going to be changing the furniture into animals for a long time. After taking a lot of complicated notes, they were each given a match and started trying to turn it into a needle.

Skylar simply looked at it, tilted her head and without even touching her wand it transfigured into a beetle.

"What is it with the beetles?" Skylar wondered as Ron laughed.

Professor McGonagall came along and gave her another match before telling Skylar to use her wand. She did this time and after a few tries, it changed. Skylar smiled and Professor McGonagall held it up to show everyone. She received five house points before she was handed the needle back and Skylar tried again to change it without her wand.

Harry and Ron were roaring with laughter as more beetles took flight around the room, causing many girls to shriek and the boys to bat at them as though making a game out of it. Skylar looked quizzical at why beetles seemed to be her strength and only transfiguration ability without a wand.

Hermione Granger was next to make a difference to her match; Professor McGonagall showed the class how it had gone all silver and pointy and gave Hermione a rare smile.

The class everyone had really been looking forward to was Defence Against the Dark Arts, but Quirrell's lessons turned out to be a bit of a joke. His classroom smelled strongly of garlic, which everyone said was to ward off a vampire he'd met in Romania and was afraid would be coming back to get him one of these days. His turban, he told them, had been given to him by an African prince as a thank-you for getting rid of a troublesome zombie, but they weren't sure they believed this story. For one thing, when Seamus Finnigan asked eagerly to hear how Quirrell had fought off the zombie, Quirrell went pink and started talking about the weather; for another, they had noticed that a funny smell hung around the turban, and the Weasley twins insisted that it was stuffed full of garlic as well, so that Quirrell was protected wherever he went.

Friday was the first day in which the first years had potions. Skylar sat at the Great Hall eating breakfast, scrambled eggs with salmon and baked beans, when Harry and Ron joined her, sitting opposite on the table as Harry grabbed some porridge.

She paused after a moment and looked at them.

"Gosh you're both on time." she realised. The boys had been late and gotten lost to most classes and the Great Hall throughout the week.

"Would have been all the time if you'd helped." Ron muttered

"You weren't ready early enough." she shrugged.

"What have we got today?" Harry asked Ron as he poured sugar on his porridge.

"Double Potions with the Slytherins," said Ron. "Snape's Head of Slytherin House. They say he always favours them — we'll be able to see if it's true."

"Wish McGonagall favoured us," said Harry. Professor McGonagall was head of Gryffindor House, but it hadn't stopped her from giving them a huge pile of homework the day before.

"If she did, I didn't think it would suit her." Skylar said thinking.

Just then, the mail arrived. Hundreds of owls streamed into the Great Hall, circling the tables until they saw their owners, and dropping letters and packages onto their laps. A letter dropped before Skylar, a reply she assumed was from her parents.

 _Skylar,_

 _Congratulations. We knew you'd be fine._

 _Leon loved your letter, but I have warned him that eventually there may not be much to write. Don't forget, your classes are important to spend time on as well._

 _Love,_

 _Mum and Dad._

Skylar grinned before she folded it up, scratching her father's eagle owl, Trip, on the head and giving him some of her baked beans.

Hedwig had landed beside Harry and he was reading the letter.

"It's from Hagrid, invitation to tea." he informed Ron. "Can I borrow a quill?" Harry scribbled a reply before Hedwig took off again.

"Come on then, I don't think being late to Professor Snape's class sounds delightful." Skylar said as she stood up, putting her parents letter into her bag as Trip took flight and moving for the door. The two boys got up and hurried after her.

Potions lessons took place down in one of the dungeons. It was colder here than up in the main castle, and would have been quite creepy enough without the pickled animals floating in glass jars all around the walls.

Snape, like Flitwick, started the class by taking the roll call, and like Flitwick, he paused at Harry's name.

"Ah, _yes,_ " he said softly, "Harry Potter. Our new — _celebrity._ "

Draco and his bodyguards Crabbe and Goyle sniggered behind their hands. Snape finished calling the names and Skylar noticed him glance at her once, before he looked up at the class. His eyes were black and cold and empty and made you think of dark tunnels.

"You are here to learn the subtle science and exact art of potion-making," he began. He spoke in barely more than a whisper, but they caught every word — like Professor McGonagall, Snape had the gift of keeping a class silent without effort. "As there is little foolish wand-waving here, many of you will hardly believe this is magic. I don't expect you will really understand the beauty of the softly simmering cauldron with its shimmering fumes, the delicate power of liquids that creep through human veins, bewitching the mind, ensnaring the senses… I can teach you how to bottle fame, brew glory, even stopper death — if you aren't as big a bunch of dunderheads as I usually have to teach."

More silence followed this little speech. Harry and Ron exchanged looks with raised eyebrows. Skylar's forehead furrowed, unsure as to how she felt, it was not much of an insult yet it seemed to be intended as one. Hermione Granger was on the edge of her seat and looked desperate to start proving that she wasn't a dunderhead.

"Potter!" said Snape suddenly, causing Skylar to jump ever so slightly. "What would I get if I added powdered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood?"

Harry glanced at Ron, who looked as stumped as he was and then at Skylar and she shrugged; Hermione's hand however had shot into the air.

"I don't know, sir," said Harry.

Snape's lips curled into a sneer.

"Tut, tut — fame clearly isn't everything."

He ignored Hermione's hand.

"Let's try again. Potter, where would you look if I told you to find me a bezoar?"

Hermione stretched her hand as high into the air as it would go without her leaving her seat. Draco, Crabbe, and Goyle were shaking with laughter.

"I don't know, sir." Harry responded.

"Thought you wouldn't open a book before coming, eh, Potter?"

Skylar thought that was a little harsh, did Snape really expect them to memorise their text books like Hermione had?

Snape was still ignoring Hermione's quivering hand.

"What is the difference, Potter, between monkshood and wolfsbane?"

At this, Hermione stood up, her hand stretching toward the dungeon ceiling.

"I don't know," said Harry quietly. "I think Hermione does, though, why don't you try her?"

A few people laughed, Skylar pursed her lips and Seamus winked. Snape, however, was not pleased.

"Sit down," he snapped at Hermione. "For your information, Potter, asphodel and wormwood make a sleeping potion so powerful it is known as the Draught of Living Death. A bezoar is a stone taken from the stomach of a goat and it will save you from most poisons. As for monkshood and wolfsbane, they are the same plant, which also goes by the name of aconite. Well? Why aren't you all copying that down?"

Skylar shuffled for her parchment and quill instantly and began to write down the facts Snape had spoken. As she did, so did everyone else, causing a sudden rummaging for the tools needed.

Over the noise, Snape said, "And a point will be taken from Gryffindor House for your cheek, Potter."

Things didn't improve for the Gryffindors as the Potions lesson continued. Snape put them all into pairs and set them to mixing up a simple potion to cure boils. He swept around in his long black cloak, watching them weigh dried nettles and crush snake fangs, criticising almost everyone except Draco, whom he liked. He was just telling everyone to look at the perfect way Malfoy had stewed his horned slugs when clouds of acid green smoke and a loud hissing filled the dungeon. Neville had somehow managed to melt Seamus's cauldron into a twisted blob, and their potion was seeping across the stone floor, burning holes in people's shoes. Within seconds, the whole class was standing on their stools while Neville, who had been drenched in the potion when the cauldron collapsed, moaned in pain as angry red boils sprang up all over his arms and legs.

"Idiot boy!" snarled Snape, clearing the spilled potion away with one wave of his wand. "I suppose you added the porcupine quills before taking the cauldron off the fire?"

Neville whimpered as boils started to pop up all over his nose.

"Take him up to the hospital wing," Snape spat at Seamus. Then he rounded on Harry and Ron, who had been working next to Neville.

"You — Potter — why didn't you tell him not to add the quills? Thought he'd make you look good if he got it wrong, did you? That's another point you've lost for Gryffindor."

Skylar found her mouth open until Parvati who was beside her nudged her and she closed it with with a snap.

"Gosh, I've heard he doesn't like anyone but Slytherins but…" Skylar said as she joined the two boys.

"Why does he hate me so much?" Harry demanded.

"Well…" Skylar said hesitantly and both boys turned to her.

"What?" they both demanded.

"My father and mother went to school with your parents Harry, and Professor Snape was also at school in the same year." she said "And my dad said… he and your father hated one another." she sighed and turned to the boys. "Him and his friends." she added.

"So…" Ron began

"I don't know if Professor Snape hates you Harry, I think he still hates your dad…" she admitted

"He hates Harry for such a thing?"

"Well I can't think of any other reason. I just know my dad's warned me of him because they don't get along either." she shrugged. "Nick's told me Professor Snape really likes to have a go at him so."

Harry looked distraught and annoyed by this.

"Cheer up," said Ron, "Snape's always taking points off Fred and George. Can I come and meet Hagrid with you?"

"Are you coming to Skylar?" Harry asked and she looked at him surprised.

"Can I? Hagrid is friends with my parents, I'd love to hear some things." she grinned and the two boys nodded.

At five to three they left the castle and made their way across the grounds. Hagrid lived in a small wooden house on the edge of the forbidden forest. A crossbow and a pair of galoshes were outside the front door.

When Harry knocked they heard a frantic scrabbling from inside and several booming barks. Then Hagrid's voice rang out, saying, " _Back_ , Fang — _back._ "

Hagrid's big, hairy face appeared in the crack as he pulled the door open.

"Hang on," he said. " _Back,_ Fang."

He let them in, struggling to keep a hold on the collar of an enormous black boarhound.

There was only one room inside. Hams and pheasants were hanging from the ceiling, a copper kettle was boiling on the open fire, and in the corner stood a massive bed with a patchwork quilt over it.

"Make yerselves at home," said Hagrid, letting go of Fang, who bounded straight at Ron and started licking his ears. Like Hagrid, Fang was clearly not as fierce as he looked.

"This is Ron," Harry told Hagrid, who was pouring boiling water into a large teapot and putting rock cakes onto a plate.

"Another Weasley, eh?" said Hagrid, glancing at Ron's freckles.

"And this is Skylar."

"Of course, me' Skylar before, years ago." he smiled at her as she returned it. "Hope you're not as bad as yeh brother." he said looking amused. "I spent half me life chasin' yer brother and the Weasley twin brothers away from the forest." Ron and Skylar shared a look.

"Well I wont apologise. He's like my father." Skylar confessed.

"Yeah, remember him." Hagrid chuckled.

The rock cakes were shapeless lumps with raisins that almost broke their teeth, Skylar tried a bite and instantly put it down, concentrating on her tea in order to hide the fact she wasn't touching it. Harry and Ron however pretended to enjoy them as they told Hagrid about their first lessons. Fang rested his head on Harry's knee and drooled all over his robes.

To Skylar's amusement and the boys delight, Hagrid call Filch "that old git''

"An' as fer that cat, Mrs. Norris, I'd like ter introduce her to Fang sometime. D'yeh know, every time I go up ter the school, she follows me everywhere? Can't get rid of her — Filch puts her up to it."

Harry told Hagrid about Snape's lesson. Hagrid, like Ron, told Harry not to worry about it, that Snape liked hardly any of the students.

"But he seemed to really _hate_ me."

"Rubbish!" said Hagrid. "Why should he?"

Hagrid avoided Harry's eyes when he said that and Harry looked at Skylar who shrugged.

"How's yer brother Charlie?" Hagrid asked Ron. "I liked him a lot — great with animals."

Harry picked up the newspaper that was on the table while Skylar listened to Ron's explanation before Harry suddenly interrupted them.

"Hagrid!" said Harry, "that Gringotts break-in happened on my birthday! It might've been happening while we were there!"

There was no doubt about it, Hagrid definitely didn't meet Harry's eyes this time. He grunted and offered him another rock cake.

The three made their way back to the castle, Harry and Ron's pocked full of rock cakes. Skylar had politely refused and offered them to the boys, who hadn't been able to refuse them. The Great Hall was buzzing for dinner just as it always was and Skylar moved over to Nick as he asked how her first week had been.


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter 19:

The second week brought an excitement for the first years through the notice board. First years were beginning flying lessons. Despite this many people groaned all for the one purpose — Gryffindor would be having lessons with Slytherin. Until now Gryffindors had only had one class of potions with the Slytherins. Gryffindors and Slytherins it seemed would never stop their dislike for one another. Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs didn't have nearly the same sort of rivalry as these two opposing houses.

This of course brought a lot of talk about flying and Quidditch. Skylar was sitting at the Gryffindor table as the babble rose all around her. Draco for example could not seem to stop talking about flying. He complained loudly about first years never getting on the House Quidditch teams and told long, boastful stories that always seemed to end with him narrowly escaping Muggles in helicopters. He wasn't the only one, though: the way Seamus Finnigan told it, he'd spent most of his childhood zooming around the countryside on his broomstick. Even Ron would tell anyone who'd listen about the time he'd almost hit a hang glider on Charlie's old broom.

"What about you Skylar?" Seamus asked, knowing she too was from a wizard family.

"We've got a field to play in. And my properties rather secluded." she shrugged "Leon and Nick use it constantly."

"A field? You mean the mini Quidditch pitch." Ron said and many people gapped.

"Thanks Ron." Skylar sighed

"You have a Quidditch pitch?" Neville asked "At your house?"

"Sorta." she mumbled

Everyone from wizarding families talked about Quidditch constantly. Ron had already had a big argument with Dean Thomas, who shared his dormitory, about soccer. Ron couldn't see what was exciting about a game with only one ball where no one was allowed to fly.

"It doesn't seem to have the same excitement…" Skylar said as she'd been listening.

"Actually it's the opposite! Getting a goal is hard so there's so much suspense!" Dean said looking excited.

Neville had never been on a broomstick in his life, because his grandmother had never let him near one. Skylar wasn't surprised, because Neville managed to have an extraordinary number of accidents even with both feet on the ground.

Hermione Granger was almost as nervous about flying as Neville was. This was something you couldn't learn by heart out of a book — not that she hadn't tried. At breakfast on Thursday she bored them all stupid with flying tips she'd gotten out of a library book called _Quidditch Through the Ages._ Neville was hanging on to her every word, desperate for anything that might help him hang on to his broomstick later, but everybody else was very pleased when Hermione's lecture was interrupted by the arrival of the mail.

On the Thursday morning Skylar received a letter from an owl she didn't recognise. It landed before her and held out it's leg. A few moments later, while she was opening the envelope, Neville received a small from his grandmother.

The handwriting was in elegant slanted writing as she opened it.

 _Dear Miss Rosenwald,_

 _I would like it if you could come to my office on Friday afternoon during your free._

 _It is time to address you learning to better control your talents._

 _Nicholas will be joining us and knows where the office is located._

 _Look forward to meeting you._

 _Albus Dumbledore_

Skylar looked at it surprised as Neville was opening his parcel excitedly. He showed them a glass ball the size of a large marble, which seemed to be full of white smoke.

"It's a Remembrall!" he explained. "Gran knows I forget things — this tells you if there's something you've forgotten to do. Look, you hold it tight like this and if it turns red — oh…" His face fell, because the Remembrall had suddenly glowed scarlet, "… you've forgotten something…"

Neville was trying to remember what he'd forgotten when Draco Malfoy, who was passing the Gryffindor table, snatched the Remembrall out of his hand.

Harry and Ron jumped to their feet and Skylar, who'd been signing a letter back to the Headmaster looked up surprised. What ever the two boys had planned, was stopped as Professor McGonagall, who could spot trouble quicker than any teacher in the school, was there in a flash.

"What's going on?"

"Malfoy's got my Remembrall, Professor."

Scowling, Malfoy quickly dropped the Remembrall back on the table.

"Just looking," he said, and he sloped away with Crabbe and Goyle behind him.

Skylar attached her response to the owl and it took off away from her.

"Letter for home?" Hermione asked, sitting opposite and slightly down the table. Skylar looked at her and smiled.

"Not exactly."

At three-thirty that afternoon, the Gryffindors hurried down the front steps onto the grounds for their first flying lesson. It was a clear, breezy day, and the grass rippled under their feet as they marched down the sloping lawns toward a smooth, flat lawn on the opposite side of the grounds to the forbidden forest, whose trees were swaying darkly in the distance.

The Slytherins were already there, and so were twenty broomsticks lying in neat lines on the ground. Nick had told Skylar about how the school brooms were terrible, temperamental, unlikely to listen and caused more trouble than it's worth. She eyed the brooms with suspicion and distrust as they reached them.

Their teacher, Madam Hooch, arrived. She had short, grey hair, and yellow eyes like a hawk.

"Well, what are you all waiting for?" she barked. "Everyone stand by a broomstick. Come on, hurry up."

Skylar stepped up beside a broom. She'd obviously flown before but these brooms did make her nervous slightly. They didn't looked very positive but old, dinted and the twigs slightly bent in areas.

"Stick out your right hand over your broom," called Madam Hooch at the front, "and say 'Up!' "

Skylar took a breath, stared down at her broom and with everyone else, shouted: "UP!"

Few brooms jumped up immediately and Skylar's wasn't one of them. Hermione Granger's broom had simply rolled over on the ground, and Neville's hadn't moved at all. After all, if you were to command a broom, you needed confidence, and Neville's voice definitely held a quaver in that said only too clearly that he wanted to keep his feet on the ground. Harry's had shot straight into his hand with no problem. So had Draco's. Skylar wasn't surprised her broom hadn't moved but she glared down at it all the same and snapped at it so that this time it did jump into her hand.

Madam Hooch then showed them how to mount their brooms without sliding off the end, and walked up and down the rows correcting their grips.

"Now, when I blow my whistle, you kick off from the ground, hard," said Madam Hooch. "Keep your brooms steady, rise a few feet, and then come straight back down by leaning forward slightly. On my whistle — three — two —"

But Neville, nervous and jumpy and frightened of being left on the ground, pushed off hard before the whistle had touched Madam Hooch's lips.

"Come back, boy!" she shouted, but Neville was rising straight up like a cork shot out of a bottle — twelve feet — twenty feet. His was face was clearly scared and sheer white as he looked down at the ground falling away. Everyone watched him gasp, before he slipped sideways off the broom and —

WHAM — a thud and a nasty crack that made Skylar wince. Neville lay facedown on the grass in a heap. His broomstick was still rising higher and higher, and started to drift lazily toward the forbidden forest and out of sight.

Madam Hooch was bending over Neville, her face as white as his.

"Neville are you alright?" Skylar said as she stood by them.

"Broken wrist," Madam Hooch muttered. "Come on, boy — it's all right, up you get."

She turned to the rest of the class.

"None of you is to move while I take this boy to the hospital wing! You leave those brooms where they are or you'll be out of Hogwarts before you can say 'Quidditch.' Come on, dear."

Neville, his face tear-streaked, clutching his wrist, hobbled off with Madam Hooch, who had her arm around him.

No sooner were they out of earshot than Malfoy burst into laughter.

"Did you see his face, the great lump?"

The other Slytherins joined in.

"Shut up, Malfoy," snapped Parvati Patil.

"Ooh, sticking up for Longbottom?" said Pansy Parkinson. "Never thought _you_ _'d_ like fat little cry-babies, Parvati."

"Don't be so childish Pansy." Skylar said rolling her eyes. Draco smirked at him slightly and Pansy, seeing this, looked very displeased.

"Look!" said Draco, darting forward and snatching something out of the grass. "It's that stupid thing Longbottom's gran sent him."

The Remembrall glittered in the sun as he held it up.

"Give that here, Malfoy," said Harry quietly. Everyone stopped talking to watch as Skylar turned to him.

Malfoy smiled nastily.

"I think I'll leave it somewhere for Longbottom to find — how about — up a tree?"

"Give it _here_!" Harry yelled, but Malfoy had leapt onto his broomstick and taken off. He hadn't been lying, he _could_ fly well. Hovering level with the topmost branches of an oak he called, "Come and get it, Potter!"

Harry grabbed his broom.

"Harry…" Skylar said wearily.

" _No_!" shouted Hermione Granger over Skylar. "Madam Hooch told us not to move — you'll get us all into trouble."

Harry ignored her. He mounted the broom and kicked hard against the ground and up, up he soared.

"He could get hurt." Skylar worried

"He's doing fine." Ron shrugged

"Now." Skylar warned.

"He's going to get us all into trouble!" Hermione snapped

"Don't you care if he gets hurt at all?" Skylar snapped at her.

Harry pulled on his broom and shot up a little more, causing many girls to gasp around Skylar and Ron to whoop in admiration. Malfoy however was looking stunned as Harry turned to him sharply.

"Give it here," Harry called, "or I'll knock you off that broom!"

"Oh, yeah?" said Malfoy, trying to sneer, but looking worried.

Harry leaned forwards and, grasping his broom tightly with both hands, he shot toward Draco like a javelin. Malfoy only just got out of the way in time; Harry made a sharp about-face and held the broom steady. A few people below were clapping at his performance.

"No Crabbe and Goyle up here to save your neck, Malfoy," Harry called.

The same thought seemed to have struck Malfoy.

"Catch it if you can, then!" he shouted, and he threw the glass ball high into the air and streaked back toward the ground.

Skylar gapped as Harry, for some unknown reason, decided to lean forwards, point his broom towards the ground and dive steeply, gathering speed. Many people screamed and Skylar clapped her hands over her mouth in shock as he stretched his hand out, a foot from the ground, caught the invisible ball and pulled his broom from the dive to topple gently onto the grass with the Remembrall clutched safely in his fist.

"HARRY POTTER!"

Everyone spun around to see Professor McGonagall running toward the group as Harry stood up.

" _Never_ — in all my time at Hogwarts —" Professor McGonagall was almost speechless with shock, and her glasses flashed furiously, "— how _dare_ you — might have broken your neck —"

"It wasn't his fault, Professor —"

"Be quiet, Miss Patil —"

"But Malfoy —"

"That's _enough,_ Mr. Weasley. Potter, follow me, now."

McGonagall turned to leave and Harry slumped off after her looking defeated. Malfoy however was grinning in satisfaction with Crabbe and Goyle.

"What's wrong with you Draco? You're so childish for someone who grew up in a prestigious household." Skylar snapped. He sneered at her but she didn't back off. "What do you even gain from that? Harry expelled? It's so sad that that's your ambition." his sneer had dropped as she expressed her disappointment.

"What's going to happen?" Ron whispered to Skylar and she turned to him.

"I don't know, would he get expelled for that? Or just detention?" Skylar shrugged. She hadn't been here long enough to know what would happen. "I hope they don't kick him out." she whispered.

They didn't see Harry until Dinner time, where he was already at the table eating. Ron and Skylar hurried down the table and sat on either side of him.

"What happened?" Skylar asked staring at him.

"Did they expel you?"

"Detention?"

"What's your punishment?"

"Calm down." Harry said grinning. "I'm not expelled." he assured

"Detention then?" Skylar asked, calming down and grabbing some mashed potatoes and sausages.

"McGonagall took me to meet Wood."

"Wood?" the two chorused, Ron bringing some Steak and Kidney pie onto his plate.

"He's a fifth year and he's captain of the Gryffindor Quidditch team." Harry said, still grinning. Skylar and Ron shared a look around him. He looked around, checking if anyone was nearby and the two leaned closer.

"McGonagall made me seeker of the Gryffindor Quidditch team."

"What!?" Skylar gasped surprised.

"You're _joking._ " Ron had a piece of steak and kidney pie halfway to his mouth, but he'd forgotten all about it. " _Seeker_?" he said. "But first years _never_ — you must be the youngest House player in about —"

"— a century," said Harry, shovelling pie into his mouth. "Wood told me."

Ron was so amazed, so impressed, he just sat and gaped at Harry.

"Gosh, I mean you flew really well but… she must be desperate for a player! Or to win…" Skylar said. She was surprised by Professor McGonagall being such.

"I start training next week," said Harry. "Only don't tell anyone, Wood wants to keep it a secret."

Fred and George Weasley now came into the hall with Nick, spotted Harry, and hurried over.

"Well done," said George in a low voice. "Wood told us. We're on the team too — Beaters."

"I can't believe he got on the team." Nick said "There hasn't been any chaser positions open, so even I haven't had a chance yet."

"I'm more surprised he didn't get expelled." Skylar said to her brother.

"I tell you, we're going to win that Quidditch Cup for sure this year," said Fred. "We haven't won since Charlie left,"

"Charlie only left last year." Skylar said confused "Isn't that why the Seeker position is even open?"

"Regardless, this year's team is going to be brilliant. You must be good, Harry, Wood was almost skipping when he told us."

"Anyway, we've got to go, Lee Jordan reckons he's found a new secret passageway out of the school."

"Bet it's that one behind the statue of Gregory the Smarmy that we found in our first week. See you."

Fred and George had hardly disappeared when someone far less welcome turned up: Malfoy, flanked by Crabbe and Goyle.

"Having a last meal, Potter? When are you getting the train back to the Muggles?"

"You're a lot braver now that you're back on the ground and you've got your little friends with you," said Harry coolly. There was of course nothing at all little about Crabbe and Goyle, but as the High Table was full of teachers, neither of them could do more than crack their knuckles and scowl.

"I'd take you on anytime on my own," said Malfoy. "Tonight, if you want. Wizard's duel. Wands only — no contact. What's the matter? Never heard of a wizards duel before, I suppose?"

"Of course he has," said Ron, wheeling around. "I'm his second, who's yours?"

"Ron!" Skylar said gapping as Nick rose an eyebrow from beside his sister.

Malfoy looked at Crabbe and Goyle, sizing them up.

"Crabbe," he said. "Midnight all right? We'll meet you in the trophy room; that's always unlocked."

When Malfoy had gone, Ron and Harry looked at each other.

"Are you two crazy? Harry you only just escaped expulsion and you're gonna risk it already?" Skylar asked

"Chill out Skylar." Nick shrugged and she sent him a scowl.

"What _is_ a wizards duel?" said Harry. "And what do you mean, you're my second?"

"Well, a second's there to take over if you die," said Ron casually, getting started at last on his cold pie. Skylar shook her head. Harry's face, turned to Ron away from Skylar must've looked worried for Ron quickly added. "But people only die in proper duels, you know, with real wizards. The most you and Malfoy'll be able to do is send sparks at each other. Neither of you knows enough magic to do any real damage. I bet he expected you to refuse, anyway."

"And what if I wave my wand and nothing happens?"

"Throw it away and punch him on the nose," Ron suggested.

"He said no contact." Skylar reminded them.

"Excuse me."

They all looked up. It was Hermione Granger.

"Can't a person eat in peace in this place?" said Ron.

Hermione ignored him and spoke to Harry.

"I couldn't help overhearing what you and Malfoy were saying —"

"Bet you could," Ron muttered.

"— and you _mustn_ _'t_ go wandering around the school at night, think of the points you'll lose Gryffindor if you're caught, and you're bound to be. It's really very selfish of you."

"And it's really none of your business," said Harry.

"Good-bye," said Ron.

Hermione walked away and Skylar sighed.

"That was rather rude you know." she said to the two.

"What? She's such a nosy, bossy, know-it-all." Ron sneered. Skylar frowned at the two boys before Nick tapped her arm and she turned to him.

"Did you get a letter this morning?"

She nodded. "You do know where his office is right?"

"I've been having lessons for two years remember." Nick said rolling his eyes.

"I'm so excited, to learn properly what to do and how to control it better." she grinned.

"We'll see how good you really are." Nick smirked and she rolled her eyes.


	20. Chapter 20

Chapter 20:

"Skylar we can't let them do this!" Hermione was following Skylar around the common room and up to the Dormitory, bugging her about the boys' plans.

"It's none of our business Hermione. If they want to get into trouble than that's their problem."

"But it affects us!" Hermione complained

"So what? Just get points back! You earn enough in classes, answering all the questions for everyone." Skylar said rolling her eyes. No one could ever get anything in in classes where Hermione's hand would shoot into the air and she'd recite parts of the text books for answers.

"Well I'm going to stop them." Hermione decided strongly, as if expecting Skylar to respond.

"You clearly don't know those boys at all." Skylar said simply as she moved to get ready for bed.

"You're not going to help?" Hermione demanded

"Hermione. I already said, it's not our business. And I don't think you can stop them even if you tried." Skylar climbed into bed where she picked up Meridiem and pulled her onto her lap.

"Fine!" Hermione huffed as Skylar pulled her curtains shut and the girl turned to her own bed. Skylar heard her rummaging around for a while before the door sounded and she was gone.

"She's gonna cause trouble." Skylar mumbled looking at white kitten who looked back up blissfuly. "Being such a know-it-all isn't going to help her get any friends." Hermione hardly spoke to anyone unless it was to tell them off, blab about homework or express how much knowledge she'd retained. No one spoke to her much, occasionally they'd ask her a question, if they could stand the rant that came after.

 _It's can't be fun…_ Skylar thought as she looked at the curtain around her.

She believed Hermione was so intent on proving herself that she didn't notice much of the socialisation she was missing out on…

 _I wonder what she was like when she was at her Muggle school…_ Skylar sighed.

Thinking about it, she did feel bad for Hermione.

 _Doesn't mean she can be so nosy though… I wonder why she feels the need to get involved?_

Meridiem meowed at the girl and Skylar looked down before smiling at her and kissing the cat's head.

Skylar woke up the next morning to find Hermione in a fowl mood. She didn't question it but moved off for the Great Hall, waiting to see how Harry and Ron had gone with their night. She could have always joined them, but with her personal meeting, she figured it wasn't a good idea.

 _I also wasn't invited._ Skylar reminded herself.

In her belief, falling to Draco's taunts was rather childish and the boys shouldn't have fallen for it. Then again they were only eleven years old.

 _So are you._ she reminded herself. Of course Skylar grew up in a prestigious household, and had also been exposed to Draco and his personality for majority of her life, she knew better than to give into his words. Nothing Skylar would have said to them at this stage would have stopped them going regardless. The two boys hated Draco too much, he got under their skin too much, and she knew Ron was stubborn when he wanted to be, being teased by Fred and George meant he had a sharp limit.

Skylar sat at the Gryffindor table and began to pile a few pancakes onto her place, adding sugar and lemon on top of the first one. Harry and Ron joined her much later, sitting opposite and looking rather tired.

"How much sleep did you guys get?" she asked

"Not much." Ron yawned widely. Despite their drowsiness the two looked rather excited.

"So? How was your duel?" she asked

"There wasn't one." Harry said

"Malfoy chickened out." the three turned to the Slytherin table to see Draco looking over to them, absolutely shocked as he stared at the boys.

"I can't say I'm really surprised. He's always been a coward." Skylar sighed. "Easy night then."

"Not in the slightest." Ron said but he was grinning.

"What happened?" Skylar wondered as she ate her pancakes and had some pumpkin juice. She pulled a face as the pumpkin didn't mix with the lemon.

"Well first of all Hermione tried to stop us." Ron rolled his eyes irritated.

"I know she was nagging me about it." Skylar confessed. Ron looked at her annoyed.

"You didn't warn us?"

"When?" she asked.

"Well, she followed us out of the Porthole to try and stop us and got locked out cause the Fat Lady was gone." Harry said "And then we found Neville cause he forgot the password and was sleeping in the corridor."

"We got to the Trophy room easily, but Malfoy wasn't there."

"And then Filch turned up with his cat and we ran for it, but Neville being Neville got clumsy and tripped over only to knock over a suit of armour." Harry rolled his eyes.

"It was so noisy my heart went mad!" Ron agreed.

"Well we ran for it cause Filch was there—"

"Tipped off by Malfoy likely!" Ron sneered.

"We ran to the charms corridor and Peeves, cause Ron swiped at him, went shouting out our whereabouts. We ran again but got stuck at a locked door which Hermione unlocked with a spell and we hid inside." Harry explained and Skylar kept turning her neck between them both as they shared the story.

"And it was the forbidden corridor!" Ron said "There's a giant three headed dog behind that door!"

"What?" Skylar demanded looking at him and the boys nodded as they looked around.

"It's huge! Filled the corridor from floor to ceiling and has three heads, three noses, three sets of eyes…" Harry said

"What did you do!?"

"We ran out of there as soon as we could." Ron said obviously.

"What about Filch?"

"He was gone by then luckily." Ron shrugged "Peeves pissed him off and didn't tell them where we'd gone."

"Anyway, we got back to the common room and Hermione said the dog was standing on a trap door."

"What was she looking at the floor for!?" Skylar demanded shocked. The boys shrugged. "Any idea what it's guarding?" Skylar wondered

"No but…" Harry began and the two turned to him. "When Hagrid took me to Diagon Alley to get my money to buy my school things with, in Gringotts, we stopped at another vault, vault 713 and he took out a small grubby package. It was very important apparently."

"You don't know what it was?" Skylar asked and he shook his head.

"It's either really valuable or really dangerous," said Ron.

"Or both," said Harry.

"And you think that might be what was under the trap door?" Skylar asked and Harry nodded.

"Don't know what else it might be." All they knew for sure about the mysterious object was that it was about two inches long, they didn't have much chance of guessing what it was without further clues.

"What we should focus on, is how to get Malfoy back." Ron said and Harry agreed.

"Wanna help Skylar?" they offered as she got up.

"Maybe, I'll see if I've got time."

"We've got the afternoon off?" Ron said confused

"You guys do, I've got a meeting to go to."

"About what?" Harry asked, his eyebrows furrowed.

"I'll tell you later." she said.

Nick it seemed had either been given the afternoon off just this once, or had breaks the same time Skylar did, for he was waiting for her at three in the Common Room.

"Well shall we?" he asked and she nodded before he lead the way out of the porthole and down the corridor.

"What's Professor Dumbledore like?" Skylar wondered

"Brilliant." Nick grinned "I gotta admit when I first started it was slightly hard to understand some of the things he said."

"And he teaches us himself?" Skylar asked

"Well he's one of the best Occlumens in the school. Apparently Snape's good too but can you imagine if he taught us?" Skylar pulled a frown and he nodded in agreement.

They came to a corridor where there was a stone Gargoyle, it was large and stood tall and proud against the wall.

"Sherbet Lemon." Skylar rose an eyebrow at her brother but the Gargoyle suddenly leapt aside, allowing the wall behind where it stood to split in two. Behind the wall was a spiral staircase that was moving smoothly upward. Nick moved forwards and offered Skylar his hand before they stood on the staircase and it began to lead them in spiralling circles upwards. Higher and higher, they went until finally, into sight came a gleaming oak door, with a brass knocker in the shape of a griffin. The staircase took them right to the door and they stepped off of it.

Nick stepped up to the door and with a knock there was a voice from the other side that called, "Enter."

"Afternoon Headmaster." Nick smiled as he opened the door and held it open for Skylar.

She looked around the room with admiration. Skylar hadn't visited a teacher's office yet, but this one was definitely interesting.

It was a large and beautiful circular room, full of funny little noises. A number of curious silver instruments stood on spindle-legged tables, whirring and emitting little puffs of smoke. The walls were covered with portraits of old headmasters and headmistresses, all of whom were snoozing gently in their frames. There was also an enormous, claw-footed desk, and, sitting on a shelf behind it, a shabby, tattered wizard's hat — the Sorting Hat.

Skylar smiled at it slightly before she turned to the man in the room. He looked as he had done so at the start of term feast, and every evening at dinner since then. His crooked nose clearly broken once, his half-moon spectacles sitting upon it as his blue eyes shone like his silver beard in the light of the room.

"Afternoon Professor." Skylar smiled at him.

"Miss Rosenwald, it is a pleasure to meet you. You're brother's told me a little about you." he said as the two siblings moved toward him.

"Oh…" she said looking at her brother suspiciously. The Headmaster chuckled and gestured to the two seats before him. The siblings sat themselves down.

"He has said only charming things." the Headmaster promised as he looked at her over his half-moon spectacles. Skylar looked back at the man, her bright eyes meeting his. Skylar found herself surprised to find nothing but she felt an abnormality herself. The feeling made her head pound and she instantly shoved against it and her mind blanked.

Dumbledore smiled at her.

"A powerful Legilimence and it seems, learning to be an Occlumens all on her own." Skylar was slightly surprised. "It seems there may not be much to teach you."

"Besides control." Skylar admitted "I'm always intruding on people without meaning to."

"Unfortunately Miss Rosenwald, that may be a part of your gift. You do not need to learn to be a Legilimens, you have a natural talent. Unlike those who learn, and need eye contact, it seems you have a knack for listening. Nor do you need a spell, which most do."

"It seems to annoy a lot of people though." the auburn haired girl confessed.

"With a skill that comes so naturally, and although uncontrollable in that aspect, it is only natural. However to not get lost in the thoughts of others, or to break those you do read, is a sign of great control and talent."

Skylar took a moment. The Headmaster said she had no control to hearing those of other's, but had control on how far she went while doing it… was that correct? He did say it rather confusingly and backwards.

"Right." she managed to say and the Headmaster smiled at her again.

"Now as we know, magically navigating through the many layers of a person's mind and correctly interpreting one's findings is an ancient skill. It takes much practice to be able to interpret this usually. Your family however has a lineage of being rather skilled in this area." Skylar nodded, her father had told her as much.

"It seems you have a grasp of Occlumency but can't entirely enforce it. It is best that a skilled Legilimens is also highly practiced in Occlumency." the Headmaster continued. "Occlumency requires the closing of ones mind. It can prevent a Legilimens from accessing one's thoughts and feelings, or, most importantly, influencing them. I hope to teach you of Occlumency in order for these things to never become an issue, with a talent such as yours, it is precedent you are prepared and protected."

Skylar kept her face as plain as she could manage, however the words he spoke made her feel slightly alarmed. Prepared and protected? Was she in danger?

She said nothing.

"Which brings us to our lesson." he smiled and looked at Nick. "For the first few times, you and Mr Rosenwald will use one another to help, I need to see the depths of your Legilimency Miss Rosenwald, and this gives your brother a chance to practice what he's learnt." Professor Dumbledore explained and Skylar nodded. She'd entered her brother's mind so many times she could likely do it in her sleep.

"Are you ready?" the Headmaster asked and the two nodded. "Then, we begin."


	21. Chapter 21

Chapter 21:

 _Dear Leon,_

 _I hope you're well._

 _My lessons are going well and I've started lessons to develop my legilimency properly with Nick and the headmaster. After we've probably developed it we're going to start on my Occlumency. I'm sure you know but just in case, that's the skill to block Legilimens. I have a bit of a knack for it but, Nick's apparently better (I doubt we'll ever hear the end of that)._

 _My normal classes are proceeding well. I rather like charms, I seem to manage the spells alright. Transfiguration's not bad, I can change things with my wand alright, but whenever I try without the wand I just get beetles still. I have no idea why. Ron and Harry think it's hilarious though, not helping to boost my confidence, but it is only the first few weeks. I think it'd help if Professor McGonagall could tell me what I'm doing wrong, but I think she a) doesn't know and b) wants me to only use my wand._

 _I'll keep trying though._

 _Harry as I told you was made Seeker for the Gryffindor Quidditch Team, he hasn't started training yet, nor have we had a game yet but I'll let you know how he goes, and of course, as you'll be most interested to know, the broom he gets. Though his skills are more exciting in my opinion._

 _I hope everything's alright at home and you're not too bored._

 _Hope mum and dad are well._

 _Talk soon._

 _Skylar._

Skylar had a lesson a week scheduled with the Headmaster from then on, unless otherwise unable, by either party. Nick was to join them until otherwise instructed, it seemed he was rather good at Occlumency and Skylar had a bit of trouble penetrating his defences.

"A skilled Occlumens hidden as a Legilimens." The Headmaster had said.

Still, Skylar enjoyed learning of her ability and how to expand and better control it, as well as gain a deeper understanding.

The following week brought a slightly different excitement, as the owls flooded into the Great Hall as usual, everyone's attention was caught at once by a long, thin package carried by six large screech owls. The owls however, flew right to the Gryffindor table and dropped the package right in front of Harry, knocking his bacon to the floor. Skylar jumped backwards to avoid the flying rod before she stared at the parcel in surprise. The birds had hardly fluttered out of the way when another owl dropped a letter on top of the parcel.

Skylar blinked at it, she thought the Dursleys were terrible, who else would send Harry a parcel?

Harry ripped open the letter first, read through it and handed it to Ron beside him. Skylar watched them, her interest peaked. Ron stared at the package before him and she turned to stare at Ron before looking surprised.

"You got a broomstick!" Skylar whispered over the table and Harry looked up at her.

"A Nimbus Two Thousand!" Ron moaned enviously. "I've never even _touched_ one."

"Let's take it upstairs." Harry said

"Yeah best no one else sees it." Skylar said and the boys grabbed the package and ran from the Great Hall. "Boys and their broomsticks." she mumbled before continuing to finish her porridge.

It seemed the parcel however distracted Harry from everything, including his food. He bolted his dinner that evening without noticing what he was eating.

"Harry!" Skylar stopped him and he looked at her surprised. "The broom isn't going anywhere." she promised him. "If you keep eating like that you'll make yourself sick, will you breath please."

"Skylar, it's a nimbus two thousand!" Ron said to her with great admiration.

"And like I said it's not going anywhere. It'll still be there whether you go now or in five minutes." she said. She gave Harry a looked but he seemed to have ignored the rest of what she said and had finished his food only to get up and run from the Great Hall. Ron was up and after him in an instant. Skylar rolled her eyes.

"What is with them?" Hermione had sat herself down beside Skylar.

"Harry got a broom and boys are Quidditch obsessed." the auburn hair girl sighed.

"Harry does the wrong thing and gets rewarded for it." Hermione looked very annoyed by this.

"Why does it matter to you? It's not like you're getting punished in his place?" Skylar said.

"They can't get away with breaking the rules!"

"Depends what it's for." Skylar shrugged

"Breaking the rules is never good!" Hermione snapped

"What if you could help someone by doing so? Rules are there to protect people, but not always do they do so. Besides, better ask for forgiveness than permission." Skylar said.

This seemed to irritate Hermione for she got up and stalked off from the table.

"What was offensive about that?!" Skylar called after her and several people turned to her as she rolled her eyes. "It's like she wont let people even try."

Hermione had proven brilliant so far, she earned house points for almost every question except perhaps in Snape's class. She knew the answer to everything, having memorised the textbooks. But the girl was always alone. Skylar would see her in the common room doing homework, practicing spells or reading a book. In class she didn't talk to those around her unless to tell them the correct answer to a question she'd overheard or correct their wand movements. Skylar had tried to talk to her, be nice, but Hermione either got hacked off about something she said, or only complained about Ron and Harry. Or went on and on about a piece of homework she did and questioning if she'd done it right.

Skylar wasn't the right person to ask here. She was great at her practical work and using her wand, and she was great at reading or looking up information, but if she didn't have the information there to use, writing her theory work was a bit harder. It was also less fun. It seemed there was an endless supply of essays to be written.

Skylar sat in the common room at one of the tables with Ron, who was currently procrastinating on a piece of homework by reading a book about different brooms, while she stared at one of the windows, forgetting about the Transfiguration homework in front of her. Meridiem was sitting before her, and when ever it moved, she watched the end of the quill with such great interest that Skylar was sure she'd pounce on it soon.

Hermione was in one of the squashy armchairs a little ways off with a book in her hand as usual. Skylar watched her for a minute before pulling forwards a clean piece of parchment.

"Are you starting again!?" Ron looked at her like she was stupid.

"What? No." she said before dipping her quill and beginning to write.

 _Dear Mum,_

 _I'm writing to you because I would like some advice…_

 _You told me that Lily was brilliant, top of the class. Well, there's a girl in my year, muggle born too, who's the same. Knows the answer to every question. But she really pushes the fact that she knows it all, she's rather a know-it-all, and bossy too, and interfering and nosy…_

 _Anyway, she's always alone, and it's rather sad from my perspective. But when ever I talk to her she disapproves of everything or gets huffy. Or complains about Ron and Harry who she doesn't seem to like because they're trouble makers._

 _Any suggestions on what I should do? Or should I do nothing?_

 _Lots of love._

 _Skylar._

The auburn haired girl tucked the letter away to be sent later before returning to her homework.

"Ron have you even done anything?" she asked as Ron was now trying to balance his quill on it's point, his tongue between his teeth. At her words Ron looked up and his quill fell over.

"I'm getting to it."

"How?"

"I'm finding inspiration."

"You're procrastinating."

"What?" the redheaded boy looked confused at her.

"It means you're ignoring your work because you don't want to do it by doing other stuff." she elaborated.

"Am not."

"Yes you are." she said plainly.

The porthole opened and Harry came in with his Nimbus two-thousand over his shoulder, he saw the two and moved straight over to them.

"How'd it go?" Skylar asked.

"I cannot get over flying." Harry confessed

"Awesome isn't it." Ron grinned and Harry nodded in agreement.

"I was talking more about the practice." Skylar admitted, shrugging.

"Wood mostly taught me the rules and the aim. Showed me all the balls and told me about the positions." Harry said

"Well we could have told you that." Ron rolled his eyes

"Yeah but it might have been easier to understand with the balls in front of him." Skylar said as she looked down at her Transfiguration homework.

"Well after that he got me catching golfballs, as practice."

"How'd that go?" Skylar wondered

"Caught every one." Harry grinned.

"Bit proud aren't we." Skylar smirked.

"Wood said Charlie could have played for England?" Harry said to Ron as he sat with the two.

"If he wanted yeah I guess. I didn't get to see him fly much in games, seeing as he left before I came, but he was always good in the backyard." Ron said "He always favoured magical creatures, dragons in particular though."

"So how often is practice?" Skylar wondered

"Three times a week." said Harry

"That's a lot."

"Wood seems keen." Harry admitted.

"Well so would you if you'd lost to the Slytherins for how many years." Ron said as he returned to his quill balancing.

"You're gonna be a master of time management Harry, quidditch practice three times a week, homework, classes…" Skylar listed "I envy you."

"You've done better than us with homework." Harry said. The girl slumped in response, lying her arms over the table as her forehead hit the wood and the boys laughed at her.

"By the way, Harry, can I borrow Hedwig?" Skylar asked looking up.

"Why?"

"Want to send a letter home." she smiled.

"I guess." he shrugged and she grinned.

"Skylar," the three looked up to find Nick moving towards them.

"Hey." she smiled

"Don't forget tomorrow." he warned

"Are you going to do that every week?" she asked and he shrugged before leaving.

"What's tomorrow?"

"Nick and I are having private lessons." she said simply as she looked down at her homework, read the last lines and tried to figure out what to do next.

"What?" the boys asked surprised and she turned to them surprised by their response.

"What?"

"You're taking extra lessons?" Ron asked

"What for?" Harry questioned

"My Legilimency." she shrugged

"What?" they repeated.

Skylar sighed and put down her homework before turning to the boys.

"Legilimency, the art to magically navigating through the many layers of a person's mind. It's a skill that's passed down through my father's side of the family, through the Rosenwalds. Everyone has it, some it's stronger in than others. Me, Nick and Leon all have it and ours is stronger than our father's." she shrugged.

"You can mind reads?" Harry asked

"Mind reading is a muggle term. Harry your mind can't be read like that… it's more I see or hear your memories and feelings, of which I need to interpret in order to understand what your thinking." she said

"Sounds like mine reading to me." Ron said and Skylar thought.

"Reading is the wrong word…" she thought "Think of your mind as layers, your most recent memories at the top, the oldest at the bottom and then the ones you've locked away for what ever reason. The ones your cherish the most and the newest are the easiest to get to." she said tapping her chin. "Think of it as a stack of pictures that you need to look through. Or several stacks of pictures."

"It's that easy?" Ron asked and Skylar rose an eyebrow.

"I'm sorry, can you do it?"

"How long have you been able to do that?" Harry asked

"Most my life, since I was at least two or three." she said thinking.

"Can you only be born with it?" Harry wondered

"Oh no, it can be learnt too." she said "Professor Dumbledore can do it and Professor Snape is apparently really good."

"Snape can read our minds!" Ron said looked aghast.

"It might be difficult in a classroom. It's supposed to need a controlled environment and quite a bit of concentration. He's too busy teaching potions and criticising everyone I expect. Besides, he needs eye contact, most Legilimens do."

"So we could learn it?" Ron asked grinning

"Only if you've got someone teaching you. You need a wand and the incantation and if you're not careful you could break someone's mind. Apparently that's what You-Know-Who used to do."

"He could mind read?"

"He was a legilimens." she corrected Harry. "But yeah, he'd use it to drive them mad by showing them the worst and most terrible of their memories."

"Show them?"

"Well sometimes when a Legilimens is in your mind they can pull the pictures from the bottom of the stack to the top where you remember it, if you've had something traumatic then how would that make you feel? Some can even manipulate what you see, put things into your mind so that can really mess with you too." Skylar admitted.

The two boys shared a look.

"And you can do this?" Harry asked

"Sorta, mines a bit different, I wasn't taught, I was born with it." she said thinking.

"Have you used it on us?" Ron asked

"Sure." she shrugged and they looked surprised.

"You invaded our minds?" Ron demanded

"See that's what I'm currently learning with professor Dumbledore and Nick, how to better control it, because my brothers and I can all do it, we've used it on each other our whole lives, so honestly, most people's minds I hear without meaning it, sort of like I'm not in control of who I hear or see." she said "The Headmaster's teaching me how to better control that."

"You're learning to what? Restrain yourself?" Harry asked

"Well first the Headmaster wants to see how far developed I am and all that and then once my skills been developed properly he's going to teach me to rein it in and then teach me Occlumency apparently."

"Occlumency?" the boys chorused

"It's how you keep a Legilimens out of your head." she shrugged.

The auburn haired girl began to pack up her things as the boys shared a look.

"Yes I highly recommend you look into it and learn it." Skylar said smiling, gaining their attention again. "Good night." and she moved off for the girls dormitory.

"She can hear what we're thinking all the time!" Ron said

"I didn't even think mind reading was real." Harry admitted

"Makes two of us." Ron muttered.


	22. Chapter 22

Chapter 22:

 _To my dear Skylar,_

 _I'm glad you want to help, just like the lovely girl I know you are._

 _My suggestion would be to first try getting to know her, if she is constantly being the one to get offended, and you're unsure what you did, my advice would be to ask her. If you understand her better for who she is instead of just what she does, perhaps you'll discover why she is that way. You shouldn't judge someone just by what you see._

 _You may find because she's muggle-born she has a serious need to want to prove herself, to not be left behind. Remember some wizards look down on muggle-borns, and if she's read enough books, she'll know this. What better way to prevent this and prove otherwise than by succeeding?_

 _You may find she's ambitious and headstrong, wanting to push herself and wanting to achieve as that's just the person she is. Maybe she has trouble communicating? You wont know until you ask._

 _I would talk to her Skylar, if she lets you, about her, not school or classmates, but her interests, hobbies, enjoyments, life at home. You may be surprised by what you hear._

 _Let me know how you go._

 _Say hi to Harry for me, ask him how it's all going, I'd love to hear how his first few weeks have been, and let him know he has a very beautiful owl._

 _Love always,_

 _Mum._

Skylar looked at the letter as she sat at the breakfast table. Hedwig had, to the surprise of her and Harry, landed before the girl with a letter attached to her leg.

"Mum wants to know how you're going Harry." Skylar smiled as she took out some parchment and a quill to write a response.

"Hogwarts it better than Privet Drive." Harry said simply. "You know give it a week and we'll have been here for a month."

"And so much has happened, you almost got expelled, were put on the Quidditch team, met a three headed dog, began practice…" Skylar listed as she began to write.

"You're not writing all that are you?" Ron asked surprised and she looked at him like he was mad.

"Not even, she'd kill us all." Skylar admitted looking worried.

"So would my mum." Ron nodded

"Yours I'd be more scared of telling." Skylar confessed.

 _Dear Mum,_

 _Thanks, I'll give it a shot._

 _Harry's going well, says the castle's more of a home than his aunt and uncle's._

 _A few weeks back he did something silly, but for it, he got put on the Gryffindor Quidditch team, playing seeker. He's the youngest player in a century here at Hogwarts. He got a Nimbus two-thousand from Professor McGonagall, and started practice last week._

 _Hagrid bought him the owl for his birthday, he let me use her, easier than always asking Nick or sending a school owl. And gives her something to do, given Harry doesn't have anyone to send letters too except Hagrid._

 _Classes are otherwise getting more interesting, we're getting into more advanced wandwork._

 _My Legilimency lessons are proceeding well as well, the Headmaster says I'm a natural and he's impressed, though considering Nick and I are practicing on each other, I don't know how he knows… might be because he's a Legilimens too?_

 _I hope everything's going well at home, and Leon isn't too bored._

 _Thanks for the advice and I'll write again soon._

 _Love,_

 _Skylar._

Skylar gave Hedwig the letter and after having picked at Harry's baked beans, she took off into the sky again.

Skylar turned and saw Hermione sitting down the bench as the boys began talking about Quidditch, Ron teaching Harry a few more things he knew and without a word to them she got up and moved down the table to sit opposite the girl.

"Morning." she smiled and Hermione looked confused

"Good morning." she responded.

There was an awkward silence as Skylar had no idea what to say or where to begin.

"Look I'm sorry if I somehow offended you last time." she said and Hermione looked at her. "You stalked off as if I had so,"

"It's nothing." Hermione said as she ate her breakfast.

"You're lying." Skylar sighed and Hermione looked at her annoyed. "You're annoyed that you somehow agreed with what I said. Sorry if my opinion conflicted you."

"Don't be silly."

"You're the one thinking it Hermione." Skylar sighed, slightly annoyed herself now. "You're not gonna do yourself any favours by lying to yourself." she decided it was best not to push anything further than that and she got up to leave. "See you in class." she smiled slightly before moving to leave the Great Hall.

Skylar tried a few times to interact with Hermione but none of it went as she intended. Either she became annoyed by Hermione telling her off or what to do, or she annoyed Hermione by what she said or did. It seemed the two girls were not to get along.

Before Skylar knew it, she'd been at the castle for two months and Halloween turned up at the doorstep. With the time period the lessons became more exciting, now that the first years had all mastered the basics.

On Halloween morning they woke to the delicious smell of baking pumpkin wafting through the corridors. Even better, Professor Flitwick announced in Charms that he thought they were ready to start making objects fly, something they had all been dying to try since they'd seen him make Neville's toad zoom around the classroom. Professor Flitwick put the class into pairs to practice.

Skylar was paired with Neville, Harry's partner was Seamus Finnigan. Ron, however, was to be working with Hermione Granger. It was hard to tell whether Ron or Hermione was angrier about this. She hadn't spoken to either of the boys since the day Harry's broomstick had arrived.

"Now, don't forget that nice wrist movement we've been practicing!" squeaked Professor Flitwick, perched on top of his pile of books as usual. "Swish and flick, remember, swish and flick. And saying the magic words properly is very important, too — never forget Wizard Baruffio, who said 's' instead of 'f' and found himself on the floor with a buffalo on his chest."

Skylar looked at the feather as Neville pointed his wand it. She had made heavier things than a feather float without a wand.

Most of the class were having difficult however, Seamus and Harry couldn't move their's and ended up setting the feather on fire, and Ron was waving his arms around like a windmill.

"I can't get it!" Neville frowned as he pointed his wand and moved it.

"Let me try."

"Well we all know you can do it, you're great at spells."

"If only I was just as good at homework." Skylar sighed as she cleared her throat and rose her wand.

" _Wingardium Leviosa_!" The feather took a moment and then rose from the bench and Skylar smiled.

"Oh well done Miss Rosenwald!" Professor Flitwick smiled at her and she grinned before removing her wand and the feather stayed. "Ten points to Gryffindor."

"How'd you do that?" Neville asked her.

"It's about how you say the word as well as the wand movement, the pronunciation must be right—"

"You're saying it wrong," Neville and Skylar turned as Hermione's voice was heard by them. She was telling Ron off, to no one's surprise. "It's Wing- _gar_ -dium Levi- _o_ -sa, make the 'gar' nice and long."

"You do it, then, if you're so clever," Ron snarled.

Hermione rolled up the sleeves of her gown, flicked her wand, and said, " _Wingardium Leviosa_!"

Their feather rose off the desk and hovered about four feet above their heads.

"Oh, well done!" cried Professor Flitwick, clapping.

"Well, there you are." Skylar said "Elongate the right sounds."

Neville gave it several more shots before he finally managed to levitate their feather.

"I like when we get to actually do things like that." Skylar smiled as the class ended and the students filtered out of the door. Skylar joined the two boys, speaking as she appeared beside Ron, but it seemed he was complaining and didn't hear her. It seemed Hermione had really ticked him off.

"It's no wonder no one can stand her," Ron said as they pushed their way into the crowded corridor, "she's a nightmare, honestly."

Someone knocked into Harry as they hurried past him. It was Hermione. Skylar looked at Ron annoyed as Hermione's was in tears.

"I think she heard you."

"So?" said Ron, but he looked a bit uncomfortable. "She must've noticed she's got no friends."

"Well you saying things like that isn't going to help." Skylar scolded

"Like you're not better, she's in your dormitory."

"Not like I haven't tried, the two of us seem to just annoy one another too much."

"Yeah because she's a sufferable know-it-all!" Ron said, though he was staring off after Hermione with an awkward expression on her face.

"Look everyone has a thing, Quidditch for example, Hermione's seems to be books. She can't be hated because she's smart." Skylar believed.

"Smart isn't the problem." Ron believed

"I think she has slight communication issues." Skylar shrugged

"Yet you still don't get along." Ron said

"Sorry I'm not perfect." Skylar snapped back.

Hermione didn't turn up for the next class and wasn't seen all afternoon.

"I didn't think it was like Hermione to miss classes." Skylar said as she walked with Lavender and Parvati.

"She's in the bathroom, crying." Lavender said and Skylar looked surprised.

"What? And you left her there?"

"She wouldn't say anything to us. She told us to go away. That she wanted to be alone." Parvati admitted

"Still…"

"We can't do anything if she wont let us." Lavender shrugged and the two moved off as they entered the Great Hall.

Skylar beamed at the room before her. The Great Hall had been all decorated for Halloween. A thousand live bats fluttered from the walls and ceiling while a thousand more swooped over the tables in low black clouds, making the candles in the pumpkins stutter. The feast appeared suddenly on the golden plates, as it had at the start-of-term banquet.

The girl sat at the table staring at the food before she sighed.

 _I'm not just gonna sit here am I?_

Skylar looked around, but the bushy hair was no where to be seen. Skylar, without touching any of the food, got up and moved through the students entering the Great Hall, to leave it.

Skylar moved up the Marble Staircase and through the corridors.

"Skylar!" she turned to see Nick had just passed her and was looking confused. "Where are you going? The feast is this way."

"I know, I'll be there soon." she promised before she continued towards the bathrooms.

Skylar moved through the corridors and then went to the bathroom door, pushing it open. She could hear quick intakes of breath and a few sobs from the stalls and moved to the locked one where she knocked.

"Go away."

"No." Skylar responded stubbornly

"What do _you_ want?"

"You act like I'm the one who insulted you."

"You said nothing to defend me." Hermione's voice said sadly.

"How would you know? You ran off before I could even come up with a witty response." Skylar reminded her before she sighed. "What Ron said was rude, and just his own disappointment coming through. You literally showed him up and that annoyed him so he took it out by insulting you."

"Is that supposed to make me feel better!" Hermione demanded.

"It should make you realise that he's jealous and you shouldn't be upset about that! Isn't that one of the reason's you're so outspoken?"

"No!"

"Well if you're gonna be so bright, answer every question and make your homework seem like a snap because you're good with information, people are going to be jealous."

"What about you? You get every spell right." Skylar was still talking to the cubical door.

"I… didn't think you noticed that."

"Of course I did, you're great at spell work." Hermione admitted. Skylar smiled slightly.

"I've always had a thing for magic. My brother's always complained how I was good at non-wand magic." she confessed as she moved around the bathroom. "Doesn't matter though, I suck at theory work. Writing essays are so dull." Skylar sighed.

There was silence for a moment as Hermione sobbed again.

"He was right. No one talks to me, or holds a conversation and no one even tries." Hermione said sadly. "No one can stand me."

Skylar looked at the door slightly offended.

"Wow… thanks Hermione. I'm pretty sure on several occasions I sat with you to talk, and talked to you when you sat with me."

More silence.

Skylar sighed and looked around the bathroom.

"You shouldn't be ridiculed for being smart."

"You don't think I'm a know-it-all?" Hermione's voice was slightly small.

"No you definitely are. But who said that was a bad thing?" Skylar asked "Just means you're bright."

There was silence.

"Hermione will you open the door please?" Skylar asked.

There was a pause before Hermione slid back the lock and opened the door. At the same time Skylar smelt something horrible, and for a split second wondered if it came from the cubical. It seemed like a mixture of old socks and the kind of public toilet no one seems to clean.

Hermione opened the door, her face slightly red with tear streaks and her eyes slightly puffy as she looked at Skylar. However her eyes were drawn upwards just as there was a low grunt behind Skylar and the bushy haired girl looked up shocked. There was a click somewhere off and Skylar spun around.

It was a horrible sight. Twelve feet tall, its skin was a dull, granite grey, its great lumpy body like a boulder with its small bald head perched on top like a coconut. It had short legs thick as tree trunks with flat, horny feet. The smell coming from it was incredible. It was holding a huge wooden club, which dragged along the floor because its arms were so long.

Both girls couldn't help it and they instantly screamed, high pitched and terrified. The troll stared down on them and Skylar grabbed Hermione to move her out of the corner that was presented by the cubical behind them both. She felt her face turn cold as Hermione gripped at her arm rightly, the troll turning to them as they moved. The Troll followed them and Skylar hit Hermione with one shoulder and the wall with another, both pressed up against it. There was no where else to go. It knocked a few sinks off of the wall as it moved upon them when the door suddenly opened.

Harry and Ron ran in. Hermione was shaking behind Skylar and she looked at the boys in both surprise and plea.

"Confuse it!" Harry said desperately to Ron, and, seizing a tap, he threw it as hard as he could against the wall.

The troll stopped a few feet from the two girls, Hermione gripping so hard to Skylar's arm she felt her finger's going cold and slightly numb. It lumbered around, blinking stupidly, to see what had made the noise. Its mean little eyes saw Harry. It hesitated, then made for him instead, lifting its club as it went.

"Oy, pea-brain!" yelled Ron from the other side of the chamber, and he threw a metal pipe at it. The troll didn't even seem to notice the pipe hitting its shoulder, but it heard the yell and paused again, turning its ugly snout toward Ron instead, giving Harry time to run around it.

He came to Skylar and Hermione and grabbed the two. Skylar moved easily, wanting away from the troll and the smell. Hermione however seemed frozen.

"Come on, run, _run_!" Harry yelled at Hermione, trying to pull her toward the door, but she couldn't move, she was still flat against the wall, her mouth open with terror.

The shouting and the echoes seemed to be driving the troll berserk. It roared again and started toward Ron, who was nearest and had no way to escape.

Harry then did something that was both very brave and very stupid: He took a great running jump and managed to fasten his arms around the troll's neck from behind. The troll couldn't feel Harry hanging there, but even a troll will notice if you stick a long bit of wood up its nose, and Harry's wand had still been in his hand when he'd jumped — it had gone straight up one of the troll's nostrils.

Skylar clapped her hands over her mouth as, howling with pain, the troll twisted and flailed its club, with Harry clinging on for dear life; any second, the troll was going to rip him off or catch him a terrible blow with the club.

Hermione had sunk to the floor in fright; Ron pulled out his own wand — not knowing what he was going to do he heard himself cry the first spell that came into his head: " _Wingardium Leviosa_!"

The club flew suddenly out of the troll's hand, rose high, high up into the air, turned slowly over — and dropped, with a sickening crack that made Skylar wince, onto its owner's head. The troll swayed on the spot and then fell flat on its face, with a thud that made the whole room tremble.

Harry got to his feet. He was shaking and out of breath. Ron was standing there with his wand still raised, staring at what he had done.

"What — the — hell?" Skylar all but whispered.

Why was there a troll in the girls bathroom? And how had Harry and Ron turned up out of no where?

No one seemed able to answer her and there was silence until Hermione broke it.

"Is it — dead?"

"I don't think so," said Harry, "I think it's just been knocked out." He bent down and pulled his wand out of the troll's nose. It was covered in what looked like lumpy grey glue.

"Urgh — troll boogers."

He wiped it on the troll's trousers.

"Why is there a troll in the school?" Skylar demanded, her voice still strained and low though.

No one could answer as there was a sudden slamming of loud footsteps which made the four of them look up. They hadn't realised what a racket they had been making, but of course, someone downstairs must have heard the crashes and the troll's roars. A moment later, Professor McGonagall had come bursting into the room, closely followed by Snape, with Quirrell bringing up the rear. Quirrell took one look at the troll, let out a faint whimper, and sat quickly down on a toilet, clutching his heart.

Snape bent over the troll. Professor McGonagall was looking at Ron and Harry. She had never been seen so angry. Her lips were white. She looked at Skylar who's mouth was open while Hermione was slumped on the floor in the shadows, somewhat hidden.

"What on earth were you thinking of?" said Professor McGonagall, with cold fury in her voice. Harry looked at Ron, who was still standing with his wand in the air. "You're lucky you weren't killed. Why aren't you in your dormitory?"

Snape gave Harry a swift, piercing look. Harry looked at the floor.

Then a small voice came out of the shadows.

"Please, Professor McGonagall — they were looking for me."

"Miss Granger!"

Hermione had managed to get to her feet at last.

"I went looking for the troll because I — I thought I could deal with it on my own — you know, because I've read all about them. Skylar tried to stop me, but I didn't listen."

Ron dropped his wand. Hermione Granger, telling a downright lie to a teacher?

"If they hadn't found me, I'd be dead now. Harry stuck his wand up its nose and Ron knocked it out with its own club. They didn't have time to come and fetch anyone. It was about to finish me off when they arrived."

Skylar was now staring at Hermione but she snapped her mouth shut and turned her stare to the troll. She could look surprised if she stared at it.

"Well — in that case…" said Professor McGonagall, staring at the four of them, "Miss Granger, you foolish girl, how could you think of tackling a mountain troll on your own?"

Hermione hung her head.

"Miss Rosenwald, you should have fetched a teacher rather than follow her on your own!" Skylar looked at her with even more surprise.

"And leave her alone? She could have been killed!" Skylar said, which was both true even if it wasn't related to Hermione's story.

"Be that as it may!" McGonagall said fiercely.

"Skylar was just trying to get me out of trouble, to stop me being foolish. It wasn't her fault." Hermione continued.

"Regardless!" the professor said again as she took a breath. "Miss Granger, five points will be taken from Gryffindor for this, for Miss Rosenwald too," said Professor McGonagall. "I'm very disappointed in you. If you're not hurt at all, you'd better get off to Gryffindor Tower. Students are finishing the feast in their Houses. You two Miss Rosenwald."

Skylar, surprised turned and followed Hermione.

"I'm sorry, did I just… get in trouble?" Skylar asked "For… being nice?" Hermione smiled at her ever so slightly.

"I'm sorry Skylar." the auburn haired girl looked at her surprised and confused. "If it weren't for me, you wouldn't have been there." she believed. Skylar pursed her lips.

"Well… seeing as Harry and Ron turned up… for what ever reason, that may not be entirely true." she said shrugging. "Depends on their reason."

They continued upwards to the Gryffindor common room before Hermione spoke again.

"And I'm sorry… for being a know-it-all."

"You can't apologise for being who you are." Skylar believed

"Well, you didn't have to stay with me there, I was frozen, but you could have run." Hermione admitted

"You expected me to run and leave you behind?" Skylar questioned in surprise. Hermione looked at her before she smiled. "By the way, you didn't have to take the fall for the boys." Skylar said "That was very un-Hermione-ish of you." she smiled and Hermione did too.

"Well, they did save us."

"You were there because of Ron…"

"And so were you."

"I was just worried about you." Skylar said "You shouldn't be left alone to cry in a bathroom, whether you say that's what you want or not." Hermione smiled.

"Thanks."

"You're welcome."

They gave the password at the Gryffindor common room to find it packed and noisy, everyone was eating the food that had been sent up.

Hermione stopped by the door and Skylar smiled at her before the porthole opened and the two boys climbed in.

"I guess thanks is in order for saving us." Skylar said to the boys.

"Well… we couldn't leave you two out there with a troll around." Harry admitted

"Did you even know I was gone?" Skylar questioned.

"Well you weren't at the Gryffindor table with us, and Hermione wasn't around so…" Ron said

"And Nick said he'd seen you going away from the Great Hall." Harry added.

"You… went looking for me?" Skylar asked and they nodded.

"You and Hermione, we knew she wouldn't know of the troll." the two girls shared a look.

"Thanks." they chorused.

"Thanks back." Harry said

"Yeah, thanks." Ron agreed.

The four of them moved off to get some food before sitting down in the common room together, though eating silently.


	23. Chapter 23

Chapter 23:

 _Dear Leon,_

 _I'm sending this letter to you for a reason._

 _A troll somehow got into Hogwarts on Halloween. Hermione had been upset by Ron earlier and I went to find her, only for the troll to find us. I don't know what would have happened, but Harry and Ron turned up and somehow, managed to knock the troll out. The teacher's weren't happy, the troll was supposed to be in the dungeon and we were all supposed to be in our Common Rooms, but they awarded Harry and Ron house points for knocking the troll out and surviving, even if it was luck._

 _So that's what happened on Halloween here at Hogwarts, anything interesting happen at home?_

 _On the plus side it seems what ever feud there was between the boys and Hermione, and the annoyance Hermione and I seemed to cause one another, is all gone. You can tell mum that bit, but I don't suggest mentioning the troll, with this and the break-in at Gringotts, she might worry._

 _See you at Christmas!_

 _Your sister,_

 _Skylar._

* * *

As they entered November, the weather turned very cold. The mountains around the school became icy grey and the lake like chilled steel. Every morning the ground was covered in frost. Hagrid could be seen from the upstairs windows defrosting broomsticks on the Quidditch field, bundled up in a long moleskin overcoat, rabbit fur gloves, and enormous beaverskin boots.

The Quidditch season had begun. On Saturday, Harry would be playing in his first match after weeks of training: Gryffindor versus Slytherin. If Gryffindor won, they would move up into second place in the House Championship.

The news of Harry playing seeker had somehow leaked out. Skylar and Ron, being the only ones outside of the Quidditch team to know, and Hermione through her previous ears-dropping, all promised they'd said nothing. Wood was slightly put out about all this, but he'd still managed to keep anyone from seeing Harry play. This didn't keep people from telling him he'd be brilliant or people telling him they'd be running around underneath him holding a mattress.

"They've never even seen you play?" Skylar said as Seamus Finnigan moved off after having said exactly this. "How can they say that?"

"Skylar, where did you get this?" Hermione had been looking over the girl's shoulder at her History of Magic homework. She was pointing out a fact about Goblins in the writing. The blue eyed girl looked at it closely.

"I think I read it somewhere."

"I don't think it was a factual book." Hermione admitted.

After the troll incident, Hermione had become much nicer, having been saved by the boys, and the four seemed to have solidified a friendship from surviving the troll. Hermione, due to her brains, was a great asset when it came to homework, something that helped Harry what with all his extra Quidditch training. She had also become a bit more relaxed about breaking rules.

"What's the real fact I should use?" Skylar asked as she racked her brain and could think of nothing.

Hermione's correction saw Skylar using some of her fancy wand work to fix the words.

The day before Harry's first Quidditch match the four of them were out in the freezing courtyard during break, and Hermione had conjured them up a bright blue fire that could be carried around in a jam jar. They were standing with their backs to it, getting warm, when Snape crossed the yard. Harry, Ron, Skylar and Hermione moved closer together to block the fire from view; they were sure it wouldn't be allowed. Unfortunately, something about their guilty faces caught Snape's eye. He limped over, Skylar noticed, something seemed wrong with one of his legs. He hadn't seen the fire, but he seemed to be looking for a reason to tell them off anyway.

"What's that you've got there, Potter?"

It was _Quidditch Through the Ages,_ which Hermione had leant him and the boy, enjoying Quidditch, took great interest in _._ Harry showed him.

"Library books are not to be taken outside the school," said Snape. "Give it to me. Five points from Gryffindor."

"He's just made that rule up," Harry muttered angrily as Snape limped away. "Wonder what's wrong with his leg?"

"Dunno, but I hope it's really hurting him," said Ron bitterly.

The Gryffindor common room was very noisy that evening in preparation for the Quidditch game. Harry, Ron, Skylar and Hermione sat together next to a window. Hermione was checking Harry and Ron's Charms homework for them. She would never let them copy ("How will you learn?"), but by asking her to read it through, they got the right answers anyway. Skylar was ideally twiddling her wand between her fingers as she stared out the window. Beside her, Harry was feeling restless.

"For god-sake Harry," they turned to Skylar as she turned to him. "If you want the book back so badly, just go an ask for it."

He shot her a look, annoyed.

"Sorry." she mumbled in response for having heard his inner conundrum.

"From Snape?" Ron asked with a raised eyebrow

"It's just a book, it's not like you're asking for a dangerous potion?" Skylar shrugged.

There was silence for a few more minutes before Harry got up and told the three he was going to ask Snape if he could have it.

"Better you than me," they said together. Skylar made no comment.

Harry was back in a few minutes, hurrying back in in a manner that said it hadn't gone well.

"Did you get it?" Ron asked as Harry joined them. "What's the matter?"

In a low whisper, Harry told them what he'd seen.

"Snape was in the staffroom with Filch, and his leg was bloody and mangled. Filch was handing Snape bandages. And he made a comment about keeping his eyes on all three heads."

"Three heads?" Skylar asked confused

"He tried to get past that three-headed dog at Halloween!" he said to her and she blinked "That's where he was going when we saw him — he's after whatever it's guarding! And I'd bet my broomstick _he_ let that troll in, to make a diversion!"

Hermione's eyes were wide and Skylar blinked.

"No." the two girls said together, Skylar not believing it.

"He wouldn't," Hermione said. "I know he's not very nice, but he wouldn't try and steal something Dumbledore was keeping safe."

"Honestly, Hermione, you think all teachers are saints or something," snapped Ron.

"But why would he bother?" Skylar asked "It just… doesn't feel right."

"I'm with Harry. I wouldn't put anything past Snape." Ron said and the girls shared a look. "But what's he after? What's that dog guarding?"

But none of them held the answer.

The next morning dawned very bright and cold. Snape was thrown from the fours' minds due to new excitement. The Great Hall was full of the delicious smell of fried sausages and the cheerful chatter of everyone looking forward to a good Quidditch match.

"You've got to eat some breakfast."

"I don't want anything."

"Just a bit of toast," wheedled Hermione.

"I'm not hungry."

Harry was sitting at the Gryffindor table with Ron, Hermione and Skylar, being joined by Seamus, Dean and many other Gryffindors.

"No, you're nervous. That's killing your hunger." Skylar said

"Harry, you need your strength," said Seamus Finnigan. "Seekers are always the ones who get clobbered by the other team."

"Thanks, Seamus," said Harry, watching Seamus pile ketchup on his sausages.

"Seriously Harry, whether you feel hungry or not, I suggest you eat." said Skylar. "You've nothing to loose from eating anything."

Harry didn't answer, but as this was Skylar, he didn't need to.

"Oh don't be silly." she sighed at him.

"You really need to learn not to invade other's minds." Ron said "Come on, leave him be." Ron grabbed Skylar's elbow and dragged her up from the table and from the Great Hall, with Hermione, Seamus and Dean in tow.

"Hey!"

They moved up the common room and then towards the boys dormitories.

"What are we—" She stopped as Neville was standing in the dormitory and before him, lay out on the floor, was a set of ruined sheets. "Good idea!" she grinned.

The five of them looked at her and Ron rolled his eyes before the six of them got to work.

By eleven o'clock the whole school seemed to be out in the stands around the Quidditch pitch. Many students had binoculars. The seats might be raised high in the air, but it was still difficult to see what was going on sometimes.

Skylar, Ron and Hermione with Neville, Seamus, and Dean sat up in the top row. As a surprise for Harry, they had painted a large banner on one of the sheets Scabbers had ruined. It said _Potter for President,_ and Dean, who was good at drawing, had done a large Gryffindor lion underneath. Then Hermione had performed a tricky little charm so that the paint flashed different colours.

There were loud cheers as the commentator, Lee Jordan, called out the Gryffindor team and Harry walked out behind the Weasley twins.

"That looks great." Nick appeared beside Skylar and she grinned at him, hooking her arm through her brother's.

"This is going to be epic." she said

"I thought you weren't a Quidditch fan?" Ron said

"Are you kidding?" Nick chuckled "No one in the stands get's more passionate than Skylar." Ron and Seamus shared a look in surprise.

The crowd had erupted into cheers as the Quidditch team came out followed by the Slytherin team, which received a cheer from the Slytherin side. Majority of the Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs had joined the Gryffindors.

Madam Hooch was refereeing. She stood in the middle of the field waiting for the two teams, her broom in her hand.

"Now, I want a nice fair game, all of you," she said, once they were all gathered around her. When Madam Hooch spoke, she seemed to be speaking particularly to the Slytherin Captain, Marcus Flint, a fifth year. Flint looked as if he had some troll blood in him.

"Mount your brooms, please."

Harry clambered onto his Nimbus Two Thousand as the other thirteen players did the same.

Madam Hooch gave a loud blast on her silver whistle.

Fifteen brooms rose up, high, high into the air and they were off.

"And the Quaffle is taken immediately by Angelina Johnson of Gryffindor — what an excellent Chaser that girl is, and rather attractive, too —"

"JORDAN!"

"Sorry, Professor."

Nick and Skylar laughed along with many others in the crowd. It seemed Jordan, doing the commentating, was being closely watched by Professor McGonagall.

"And she's really belting along up there, a neat pass to Alicia Spinnet, a good find of Oliver Wood's, last year only a reserve — back to Johnson and — no, the Slytherins have taken the Quaffle, Slytherin Captain Marcus Flint gains the Quaffle and off he goes — Flint flying like an eagle up there — he's going to sc— no, stopped by an excellent move by Gryffindor Keeper Wood and the Gryffindors take the Quaffle — that's Chaser Katie Bell of Gryffindor there, nice dive around Flint, off up the field and — OUCH — that must have hurt, hit in the back of the head by a Bludger — Quaffle taken by the Slytherins — that's Adrian Pucey speeding off toward the goal posts, but he's blocked by a second Bludger — sent his way by Fred or George Weasley, can't tell which — nice play by the Gryffindor Beater, anyway, and Johnson back in possession of the Quaffle, a clear field ahead and off she goes — she's really flying — dodges a speeding Bludger — the goal posts are ahead — come on, now, Angelina — Keeper Bletchley dives — misses — GRYFFINDORS SCORE!"

Gryffindor cheers filled the cold air, with howls and moans from the Slytherins.

"Budge up there, move along."

"Hagrid!"

Skylar, Ron and Hermione, squeezed together next to Nick to give Hagrid enough space to join them.

"Bin watchin' from me hut," said Hagrid, patting a large pair of binoculars around his neck, "But it isn't the same as bein' in the crowd. No sign of the Snitch yet, eh?"

"Nope," said Ron. "Harry hasn't had much to do yet."

"Kept outta trouble, though, that's somethin'," said Hagrid, raising his binoculars and peering skyward at the speck that was Harry.

Way up above them, Harry was gliding over the game, squinting about for some sign of the Snitch.

"Well, best he circles I guess." Skylar said but her eyes were on the Quaffle.

When Angelina had scored, Harry had done a couple of loop-the-loops to let off his feelings. Now he was back to staring around for the Snitch. Other than a bludger that decided to come pelting his way, more like a cannonball than anything, Harry had done well at staying out of the way.

"Slytherin in possession," Lee Jordan was saying, "Chaser Pucey ducks two Bludgers, two Weasleys, and Chaser Bell, and speeds toward the — wait a moment — was that the Snitch?"

A murmur ran through the crowd as Adrian Pucey dropped the Quaffle, too busy looking over his shoulder at the flash of gold that had passed his left ear.

Harry saw it. In a great rush of excitement he dived downward after the streak of gold. Slytherin Seeker Terence Higgs had seen it, too. Neck and neck they hurtled toward the Snitch — all the Chasers seemed to have forgotten what they were supposed to be doing as they hung in midair to watch.

Harry was faster than Higgs — he could see the little round ball, wings fluttering, darting up ahead — he put on an extra spurt of speed —

WHAM!

A roar of rage echoed from the Gryffindors below.

" _THAT'S A FOUL!_ " Skylar shouted in absolute outrage.

Marcus Flint had blocked Harry on purpose, and Harry's broom spun off course, Harry holding on for dear life.

"Foul!" screamed the Gryffindors after Skylar who looked furious.

"Wow… you were right." Ron muttered to Nick who was looking at his sister with a bit of fear in his eye.

Madam Hooch spoke angrily to Flint and then ordered a free shot at the goal posts for Gryffindor. But in all the confusion, of course, the Golden Snitch had disappeared from sight again.

From beside Ron, Dean was yelling, "Send him off, ref! Red card!"

"What are you talking about, Dean?" said Ron.

"Red card!" said Dean furiously. "In soccer you get shown the red card and you're out of the game!"

"But this isn't soccer, Dean," Ron reminded him.

"Forget the red card! Curse him!" Skylar shouted.

"Skylar!" Hermione looked at her shocked.

"Don't bother," Nick sighed "She's in her own world."

Hagrid, however, was on Dean's side.

"They oughta change the rules. Flint coulda knocked Harry outta the air."

Lee Jordan was finding it difficult not to take sides.

"So — after that obvious and disgusting bit of cheating —"

"Jordan!" growled Professor McGonagall.

"I mean, after that open and revolting foul —"

" _Jordan, I'_ _m warning you_ —"

"All right, all right. Flint nearly kills the Gryffindor Seeker, which could happen to anyone, I'm sure, so a penalty to Gryffindor, taken by Spinnet, who puts it away, no trouble, and we continue play, Gryffindor still in possession."

Skylar was still sitting in her seat furiously and watching the Quaffle, and the terrible sportsmanship of the Slytherin players, to notice what happened to Harry next. His broom gave a sudden, frightening lurch. He gripped the broom tightly with both his hands and knees.

It happened again. It was as though the broom was trying to buck him off. Harry tried to turn back toward the Gryffindor goal posts but his broom seemed completely out of his control. He couldn't turn it. It was zigzagging through the air, and every now and then making violent swishing movements that almost unseated him.

Lee was still commentating.

"Slytherin in possession — Flint with the Quaffle — passes Spinnet — passes Bell — hit hard in the face by a Bludger, hope it broke his nose — only joking, Professor — Slytherins score — oh no…"

The Slytherins were cheering. No one seemed to have noticed that Harry's broom was behaving strangely. It was carrying him slowly higher, away from the game, jerking and twitching as it went.

"Dunno what Harry thinks he's doing," Hagrid mumbled. He stared through his binoculars. "If I didn' know better, I'd say he'd lost control of his broom… but he can't have…"

Skylar looked up at Hagrid in confusion at this before turning to Harry. She wasn't the only one, people in the stands had now noticed and were pointing up at him.

His broom had started to roll over and over, with him only just managing to hold on. Then the whole crowd gasped. Harry's broom had given a wild jerk and Harry swung off it. He was now dangling from it, holding on with only one hand.

"Did something happen to it when Flint blocked him?" Seamus whispered.

"Can't have," Hagrid said, his voice shaking. "Can't nothing interfere with a broomstick except powerful Dark magic — no kid could do that to a Nimbus Two Thousand."

"Powerful dark magic?" Skylar said confused and she looked at Hermione.

At these words, Hermione seized Hagrid's binoculars, but instead of looking up at Harry, she started looking frantically at the crowd.

"What are you doing?" moaned Ron, grey-faced.

"I knew it," Hermione gasped, "Snape — look."

Ron grabbed the binoculars before Skylar and she looked through and over to the teachers. Snape was in the middle of the stands opposite them. He had his eyes fixed on Harry and was muttering nonstop under his breath.

"He's doing something — jinxing the broom," said Hermione.

"What should we do?"

"Leave it to me."

"What if he falls!?" Skylar demanded as Hermione disappeared.

Ron turned the binoculars back on Harry. His broom was vibrating so hard, it was almost impossible for him to hang on much longer. The whole crowd was on its feet, watching, terrified, as the Weasleys flew up to try and pull Harry safely onto one of their brooms, but it was no good — every time they got near him, the broom would jump higher still. They dropped lower and circled beneath him, obviously hoping to catch him if he fell.

"Nick, what do we do?" Skylar demanded

"We can't do anything." Nick said

"But—"

"What would you suggest?" Nick cut her off and she bit her lip without having an answer.

Marcus Flint seized the Quaffle and scored five times without anyone noticing.

"Come on, Hermione," Ron muttered desperately.

Hermione had fought her way across to the stand where Snape stood, and was now racing along the row behind him; she didn't even stop to say sorry as she knocked Professor Quirrell headfirst into the row in front. Reaching Snape, she crouched down, pulled out her wand, and whispered a few, well-chosen words. Bright blue flames shot from her wand onto the hem of Snape's robes.

It took perhaps thirty seconds for Snape to realise that he was on fire. A sudden yelp told her she had done her job. Scooping the fire off him into a little jar in her pocket, she scrambled back along the row — Snape would never know what had happened.

It was enough. Up in the air, Harry was suddenly able to clamber back on to his broom.

"Neville, you can look!" Ron said. Neville had been sobbing into Hagrid's jacket for the last five minutes.

Before anyone could question the sudden stop in the broom, Harry was speeding toward the ground when the crowd saw him clap his hand to his mouth as though he was about to be sick — he hit the field on all fours — coughed — and something gold fell into his hand.

"I've got the Snitch!" he shouted, waving it above his head, and the game ended in complete confusion.

"What…?" Skylar asked blinking.

The girl was still confused as she sat in Hagrid's cabin with a strong cup of tea, Ron, Hermione and Harry around her.

"I still don't really understand… how did we go from bucking broomstick, to catching the snitch and winning the game?" she questioned "How did you even see the snitch with your broomstick bucking you?" she demanded in surprise looking at Harry.

"That's hardly the issue." Hermione said

"Yeah, I think the bucking broomstick's more important." Ron agreed

"I don't even know what happened, it's like my broomstick lost control, or gained a mind of it's own or something." Harry said

"It was Snape," Ron said, "Hermione, Skylar and I saw him. He was cursing your broomstick, muttering, he wouldn't take his eyes off you."

"Rubbish," said Hagrid, who hadn't heard a word of what had gone on next to him in the stands. "Why would Snape do somethin' like that?"

Skylar rolled her lips as she shared a look with the other three, wondering how to explain their belief.

Harry seemed to be the one to decide.

"I found out something about him," he told Hagrid. "He tried to get past that three-headed dog on Halloween. It bit him. We think he was trying to steal whatever it's guarding."

Hagrid dropped the teapot.

"How do you know about Fluffy?" he said.

" _Fluffy_?"

"Yeah — he's mine — bought him off a Greek chappie I met in the pub las' year — I lent him to Dumbledore to guard the —"

"Yes?" said Harry eagerly.

"Now, don't ask me anymore," said Hagrid gruffly. "That's top secret, that is."

"But Snape's trying to _steal_ it."

"Rubbish," said Hagrid again. "Snape's a Hogwarts teacher, he'd do nothin' of the sort."

"So why did he just try and kill Harry?" cried Hermione. The afternoon's events certainly seemed to have changed her mind about Snape. "I know a jinx when I see one, Hagrid, I've read all about them! You've got to keep eye contact, and Snape wasn't blinking at all, I saw him!"

"I'm tellin' yeh, yer wrong!" said Hagrid hotly. "I don' know why Harry's broom acted like that, but Snape wouldn' try an' kill a student! Now, listen to me, all three of yeh — yer meddlin' in things that don' concern yeh. It's dangerous. You forget that dog, an' you forget what it's guardin', that's between Professor Dumbledore an' Nicolas Flamel —"

"Aha!" said Harry, "so there's someone called Nicolas Flamel involved, is there?"

Hagrid looked furious with himself.

"Who names a three-headed, giant, vicious dog, _Fluffy_?" Skylar demanded.


	24. Chapter 24

Chapter 24:

Christmas was coming. One morning in mid-December, Hogwarts woke to find itself covered in several feet of snow. The lake froze solid and Nick and the Weasley twins were punished for bewitching several snowballs so that they followed Quirrell around, bouncing off the back of his turban. The few owls that managed to battle their way through the stormy sky to deliver mail had to be nursed back to health by Hagrid before they could fly off again.

No one could wait for the holidays to start. While the Gryffindor common room and the Great Hall had roaring fires, the drafty corridors had become icy and a bitter wind rattled the windows in the classrooms. Worst of all were Professor Snape's classes down in the dungeons, where their breath rose in a mist before them and they kept as close as possible to their hot cauldrons.

"I do feel so sorry," said Draco Malfoy, one Potions class, "for all those people who have to stay at Hogwarts for Christmas because they're not wanted at home."

He was looking over at Harry as he spoke. Crabbe and Goyle chuckled. Harry, who was measuring out powdered spine of lion-fish, ignored them.

"Like it matters." Skylar said "I don't see anything wrong with staying here for Christmas."

"Are you staying?" Harry asked surprised

"Oh… no, I have to go back and tell Leon everything." Skylar said.

Skylar watched Harry for moment.

"You Ron?"

"I was supposed to be going home." Ron shrugged and he too glanced at Harry. "But mum and dad have decided to go to away instead."

"Hermione?" Skylar wondered

"Oh I'm going home." she nodded

"You know Harry, my mum would love for you to come for Christmas." Skylar grinned at him and he glanced at her. "You too Ron, and your brothers… though we know Percy would stay here." she grinned "You know Leon would love to see you."

"Tempting." Ron muttered "You should have invited us before we signed our names."

"I'm sure you can go and tell McGonagall otherwise." Skylar shrugged "I'd love to have you all for Christmas."

"I don't think McGonagall would like that…" Hermione admitted.

Skylar looked annoyed but she sighed.

"Well fine then, if you don't want to spend Christmas with me." she said huffing and the three chuckled.

Professor McGonagall had come around the week before, making a list of students who would be staying for the holidays, and Harry had signed up at once. Ron and his brothers were staying, too, because Mr. and Mrs. Weasley were going to Romania to visit Charlie with Ginny.

Malfoy, knowing Harry was staying and being jealous and angry, had been taunting Harry about having no proper family. The pale boy had been even more unpleasant than usual since the Quidditch match. Disgusted that the Slytherins had lost, he had tried to get everyone laughing at how a wide-mouthed tree frog would be replacing Harry as Seeker next. Then he'd realised that nobody found this funny, because they were all so impressed at the way Harry had managed to stay on his bucking broomstick, and so the family teasing began again.

When they left the dungeons at the end of Potions, they found a large fir tree blocking the corridor ahead. Two enormous feet sticking out at the bottom and a loud puffing sound told them that Hagrid was behind it.

"Hi, Hagrid, want any help?" Ron asked, sticking his head through the branches.

"Nah, I'm all right, thanks, Ron."

"Would you mind moving out of the way?" came Malfoy's cold drawl from behind them. "Are you trying to earn some extra money, Weasley? Hoping to be gamekeeper yourself when you leave Hogwarts, I suppose — that hut of Hagrid's must seem like a palace compared to what your family's used to."

Ron dived at Malfoy just as Snape came up the stairs.

"WEASLEY!"

Ron let go of the front of Malfoy's robes.

"He was provoked, Professor Snape," said Hagrid, sticking his huge hairy face out from behind the tree. "Malfoy was insultin' his family."

"Be that as it may, fighting is against Hogwarts rules, Hagrid," said Snape silkily. "Five points from Gryffindor, Weasley, and be grateful it isn't more. Move along, all of you."

Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle pushed roughly past the tree, scattering needles everywhere and smirking.

"I'll get him," said Ron, grinding his teeth at Malfoy's back, "one of these days, I'll get him —"

"I hate them both," said Harry, "Malfoy and Snape."

"Seems petty." Skylar said and the two boys glared at her.

"Come on, cheer up, it's nearly Christmas," said Hagrid. "Tell yeh what, come with me an' see the Great Hall, looks a treat."

So the four of them followed Hagrid and his tree off to the Great Hall, where Professor McGonagall and Professor Flitwick were busy with the Christmas decorations.

"Ah, Hagrid, the last tree — put it in the far corner, would you?"

The hall looked spectacular. Festoons of holly and mistletoe hung all around the walls, and no less than twelve towering Christmas trees stood around the room, some sparkling with tiny icicles, some glittering with hundreds of candles.

"Wow!" Skylar grinned "My house is gonna look dull compared to this."

"How many days you got left until yer holidays?" Hagrid asked.

"Just one," said Hermione. "And that reminds me — Harry, Ron, we've got half an hour before lunch, we should be in the library."

"Oh yeah, you're right," said Ron, tearing his eyes away from Professor Flitwick, who had golden bubbles blossoming out of his wand and was trailing them over the branches of the new tree.

"The library?" said Hagrid, following them out of the hall. "Just before the holidays? Bit keen, aren't yeh?"

"Oh, we're not working," Harry told him brightly. "Ever since you mentioned Nicolas Flamel we've been trying to find out who he is."

"You _what_?" Hagrid looked shocked. "Listen here — I've told yeh — drop it. It's nothin' to you what that dog's guardin'."

"We just want to know who Nicolas Flamel is, that's all," said Hermione.

"Unless you'd like to tell us and save us the trouble?" Harry added. "We must've been through hundreds of books already and we can't find him anywhere — just give us a hint — I know I've read his name somewhere."

"I'm sayin' nothin'," said Hagrid flatly.

"Just have to find out for ourselves, then," said Ron, and they left Hagrid looking disgruntled and hurried off to the library.

They had indeed been searching books for Flamel's name ever since Hagrid had let it slip, because how else were they going to find out what Snape was trying to steal? The trouble was, it was very hard to know where to begin, not knowing what Flamel might have done to get himself into a book. He wasn't in _Great Wizards of the Twentieth Century,_ or _Notable Magical Names of Our Time_ ; he was missing, too, from _Important Modern Magical Discoveries,_ and _A Study of Recent Developments in Wizardry._ And then, of course, there was the sheer size of the library; tens of thousands of books; thousands of shelves; hundreds of narrow rows.

Hermione took out a list of subjects and titles she had decided to search while Ron strode off down a row of books and started pulling them off the shelves at random. Harry wandered over to the Restricted Section. Skylar, like Ron, wondered off down an isle, looking over the spines of the books for something that'd poke out at her. She came up with nothing and eventually left the library to find Harry there.

"You were quick."

"Madam Pince kicked me out."

"Looked guilty or time wasteful huh." Skylar sighed as they waited for the other two. The four of them had already agreed they'd better not ask Madam Pince where they could find Flamel. They were sure she'd be able to tell them, but they couldn't risk Snape hearing what they were up to.

Five minutes later, Ron and Hermione joined them, shaking their heads and so they went off to lunch.

"You will keep looking while I'm away, won't you?" said Hermione. "And send me an owl if you find anything."

"And you could ask your parents if they know who Flamel is," said Ron. "It'd be safe to ask them."

"Very safe, as they're both dentists," said Hermione.

"Skylar could ask." Harry offered

"I definitely could, except I have every belief they'd tell us off for it. If they knew who Nicholas Flamel is—"

"Knowing your parents they might even know him personally."

"Which means they'll know what's going on here at Hogwarts." Skylar sighed "Could be like tipping everyone off."

She looked at the three and they all looked reserved in which she nodded in agreement.

"Best not to risk it then. Though if they did know him, I wonder why I'd've never met him…" she muttered.

The following day, Hermione and Skylar were packed and joined the throng of people getting into carriages to be taken down to Hogsmeade station where the Hogwarts Express would leave from for Kings Cross, London.

The two girls stood in the entrance hall with everyone else, moving towards the front steps where carriages moved to the bottom and allowed passengers to board them. The carriages however were not being pulled by anyone, they rolled along completely unaccompanied.

"Nothing's pulling them?" Skylar noticed as they climbed into one of the carriages. It was indeed horseless it seemed.

"Magic?" Hermione offered grinning and Skylar rolled her eyes as the carriage began to move off down the lane and towards the station.

The scarlet steam engine was waiting at Hogsmeade station for them, smoke puffing up into the cold air and over the trees. The carriages pulled up outside the station and the two girls joined everyone else as they moved for the train. Skylar wasn't carrying much and neither was Hermione and they were pushed and shoved slightly towards the train by others going home for the holidays as well.

"Shall we try a carriage towards the end?" Skylar whispered to Hermione as they were squashed together and clinging to one another's hands as to not loose the other.

Hermione nodded as she looked around at the students with her and they finally got onto the platform. The two girls tried to use their small size to squeeze through people and to the end of the train before they found a compartment and climbed up into it. The two girls sat down placed their bags in the luggage rack and Skylar opened Meridiem's carrier cage, the cat slinking out, stretching and then jumping onto Hermione's lap, who scratched her behind the ears happily.

"I almost thought I'd get run down." Skylar said and Hermione nodded before they both started laughing.

"I can't wait to see my mum and dad."

"I bet they'll be proud, 'Mum, guess what, I'm the top student and know much more than everyone else'." Skylar said and Hermione flushed as the auburn haired girl chuckled

"That's not true." she mumbled

"Yes it is. You can answer every and any question that comes up." Skylar said raising an eyebrow. Hermione had no argument and she smiled ever so slightly as Skylar chuckled.

A whistle blew and the two turned to the window in order to see the station slipping away and being replaced by trees.

"I can't wait to see Leon, I bet he wants to know all about the troll." Skylar said smiling

"You told him?"

"Well I told him not to tell mum as she'd probably freak but he'd kill me if I didn't tell him something like that." Skylar admitted and Hermione sighed. "Leon and I have spent ages wanting to come to Hogwarts, Nick did too but being the first one to go there wasn't as much of a desire compared to the two of us, there's no way I could keep his knowledge so thin."

"I guess seeing as you're from a wizarding family that's not too surprising. Though at the same time, being a wizarding family you might think it's surprising you're so excited when you grew up with it all." Hermione said thinking

"Can go one way or the other I guess. Dad used to tell us stories of what he got up to when he was at Hogwarts, he and his friends were always getting into trouble and breaking the rules and such. He made it so exciting. Mum did too, though more about the learning side of it all." Skylar explained "And there was never any doubt we'd be going there if accepted."

"You never thought of one of the other schools?" Hermione wondered

"Never." Skylar shook her head.

"I did read Hogwarts is the best, though Durmstrang's good for dark arts,"

"And Beauxbatons is all about pristine and manners." Skylar shrugged "Or at least I feel it is."

"I think I'd have preferred Hogwarts too." Hermione said and the auburn haired girl nodded. "When does your brother come?" she wondered

"Next year."

"Hardly has to wait then does he?"

"Yeah but he's at home by himself besides mum so." Skylar shrugged "Do feel bad for him being the youngest and having to be alone. You can meet him at the train station if you'd like. My parents too." Hermione grinned

"I'd like to." she agreed.

Skylar looked out the window. "I'm kinda jealous of Harry and Ron having Christmas at Hogwarts."

"I think so too." Hermione nodded "But I couldn't not go and tell my parents about it, being Muggles this is fascinating for them."

"That's true. Maybe next year we'll have to stay." Skylar smiled and Hermione chuckled.


	25. Chapter 25

Chapter 25:

Skylar did introduce Hermione to her parents and to Leon, Dominique was more than happy to meet Hermione, glancing at Skylar with an impressed look that she'd managed to fix everything with the girl. Skylar also had a feeling Hermione reminded her somewhat of Lily, being so bright and a muggle born. Hermione had a few questions for the two, having never met wizard adults besides the teachers at Hogwarts.

Leon pounced on Skylar about the troll, being quiet to not let their parents hear.

"She fought of a troll in her first year, you're gonna out do me." Nick said as he appeared.

"I'll tell you about it at home." Skylar whispered to Leon, glancing at their parents and he nodded eagerly.

"See you on the train back Hermione!" Skylar waved after the girl had seen her parents and Hermione waved back as they moved in different directions.

Their father, it seemed, had been taking on the idea of having a car more seriously over the last few months, for when they got outside the station Nick and Skylar were surprised to find he walked straight up to one with a set of keys.

"You bought a car!" Skylar and Nick chorused in surprise. Their father turned to them with a smile.

"Leon had quite the field day going and having a look for the vehicle with your father." Dominique chuckled. The two turned to their little brother, now looking jealous of him. He grinned at them, glad to have done something they'd have liked to join in with.

The car was white and rather long, it had a large grill at the front and four doors.

"Come on then." Dominique smiled. The luggage the two Rosenwald children had brought back with them were placed in the boot, rather roomy for just the two bags. Leon climbed into the back first and his siblings followed.

"What kind of car is it dad?" Nick wondered

"Rolls Royce." he responded. Skylar and Nick shared a look, this didn't mean much to them but they gazed around at the leather interior as their father turned on the engine and pulled away from the station.

"I can't believe you didn't put this in any letters." Skylar said annoyed

"We wanted it to be a surprise." Dominique smiled

"Well I'm surprised." Nick confessed and Skylar nodded.

"So Skylar, how's your first year at school been so far?" Dominique asked turning in her seat to look at her.

Skylar thought, glancing at her brothers on her right. "Uneventful." she said.

Nick and Leon both chuckled and Dominique gave them a look.

"I mean a troll broke into the school on halloween somehow." Dominique looked at her alarmed. "And the third floor corridor is out of bounds on the right hand side. Professor Dumbledore said not to go in there unless you wanted to die a painful death…" she remembered and the two parents shared a look.

"Gryffindor won the first quidditch match." she smiled as Nick snuffled a laugh at her change in topic.

"What's Harry's Nimbus two thousand like?" Leon asked excitedly

"Faster than all the other brooms that were on the pitch." Nick nodded

"So pristine." Skylar said "Harry can't get enough of flying or of quidditch."

"Sounds like his father." Nathaniel nodded and Skylar grinned

"I invited him to come for Christmas." she admitted "But I didn't do it until after he'd told Professor McGonagall he was staying so,"

"He's always welcome, there's always another time." Dominique said "I'd love to have him."

"You have to send him a Christmas present." Skylar said "I don't think he's expecting any."

"Well, that we'll definitely have to change." Dominique said as she thought.

The three children in the back seat shared a look and Leon looked at his siblings expectantly, as if concentrating. Nick and Skylar shared an amused look as they blocked him and he looked annoyed.

They arrived at the Rosenwald estate and the three children ran for the front door where Midori was waiting in the foyer.

"Welcome home Miss Skylar, Mr Nicholas." she bowed

"Hey Midori." they grinned before she offered to take their coats and their bags, which they let her as Skylar released Meridiem and the elf took the cat's carrier cage as well, disappearing up the stairs.

"Come on Leon." Skylar said and she grabbed her little brother's hand before running up the stairs for her bedroom with him. Midori followed them in and the two sat down waiting for Midori to place her bag and carrier bag down before leaving.

"Alright, tell me everything, what happened with the troll?" Leon demanded as Nick closed the door behind the two and the elf, having followed them all.

"Well trolls are really stupid, so Ron, Harry, Hermione and I were not really sure if it got into the castle by itself, especially when it started down in the dungeon." Skylar said "But I was with Hermione cause Ron had upset her earlier and somehow the troll ended up in the girls bathroom." she muttered

"No one really knows what happened by the way." Nick confessed

"Well, Hermione and I screamed when it came into the bathroom and for some reason it seemed to want to kill the two of us." Skylar admitted looking unsure. "Anyway Harry and Ron threw things at it and yelled at it. It went for Ron so Harry jumped onto it's neck and his wand went up his nose and then Ron used a hover charm to knock it out with the club it had. With the crack it's head made from the club I'm surprised it didn't die from a broken skull." she confessed

"I can't believe you and Ron took out a troll." Leon beamed

"Honestly I think Ron gets the credit for taking out the troll. He did hit it with the club and knock it out." Skylar said "Using the spell he hadn't managed to get in class which is why he insulted Hermione, cause she could."

"He's so cool." Leon whispered

"Don't go all fangirl please." Nick muttered "That's not cool."

"Kinda creepy."

"How many eleven year olds do you know that can knock out a full-grown troll?" Leon grinned

"I never said it was a fully grown troll." Skylar mumbled and Nick snickered.

"I think we all knew it was." Skylar shot him a look.

"So what else happened?" Leon wondered.

Skylar smirked ever so slightly and the two boys looked at her with interest.

"What?" they demanded.

"The third floor corridor, the one that's out of bounds?" she said and they both nodded eagerly. "Harry, Ron, Hermione and Neville went in there."

"What?" Nick demanded

"Okay, it was completely accidental." Skylar said quickly. "Malfoy challenged Harry for a duel at midnight in the Trophy room so he and Ron snuck out and Hermione tried to stop them and got locked out of the common room."

"Where were you?" Leon asked

"In bed, asleep. I had my first meeting with Dumbledore the following day and no one bothered to invite me along." she said sighing "Anyway, we'd had our first flying day that day and Neville had broken his arm, so he'd been in the hospital wing and then got locked out of the common room because he forgot the password to get in, he does that, so that's why he went along too. Anyway Malfoy tipped off Filch and didn't go to the duel so they ran from the trophy room and then Peeves the poltergeist got involved so they ran again until they came to a locked door and Hermione knew a spell to unlock it and they hid inside from Filch not knowing where they were."

"What's in the corridor?" Nick demanded

"Why's it off limits?" Leon questioned

"There's a giant three headed dog in the corridor!" Skylar all but whispered out.

The two boys stared at her, looking as though they didn't believe her and were also still processing the information.

She waited, watching them.

"A three headed…"

"Dog…" Nick mumbled and the two boys shared a look.

"It's Hagrid's apparently." Skylar nodded with a casual shrug.

Nick's mouth now dropped open.

"Are you serious?" he asked and she nodded "What's with him and his monster thing?" he wondered and Skylar shrugged.

"Wait you believe her?" Leon asked surprised

"All Hagrid does is play with monsters, it's part of his reputation." Nick confessed

"Yeah well he has this three headed dog, he called it Fluffy." Nick rose an eyebrow and the girl nodded "And it's guarding something."

"Guarding something?" Leon asked

"Yeah, something that's a small package like two inches long. Harry was with Hagrid when he removed it from vault seven-hundred and thirteen from Gringotts on July 31st." she said and Leon gapped.

"That's the day Gringotts had a break in!" he remembered and she nodded

"What is it?" Nick questioned.

Skylar sighed. "We don't know, Hagrid didn't slip anything else besides the fact that what ever it is it belongs to someone called Nicholas Flamel."

The two shared a look, and then turned back to their sister. "Who?"

She groaned. "I was hoping one of you would know."

"We don't read like you do." Leon confessed

"I don't retain all that info you know." she mumbled

"Wow," Leon mumbled "And all that already!" she nodded

"Oh let's not forget someone jinxing Harry's broom at the Gryffindor-Slytherin game." she said

"What?" Leon asked and she and Nick nodded. "Who?"

"It looks like it was Snape." Skylar said and Leon looked at her.

"You mean Draco's godfather, the guy who bumped heads with dad in school, Snape?" Leon asked and they both nodded.

"The guy who teachers potions and favours his own house and seems to dislike Harry more than he does Nick." Skylar said

"How much so?" Nick wondered

"Our first lesson Neville spilled potion over himself and Snape turned to Harry to tell him off just cause he was on the same table." Skylar shrugged "Took a library book and points from Harry just cause he had taken it outside."

"Is that normal?" Leon wondered

"For me it is." Nick mumbled and Skylar rolled her eyes at him.

"Haven't seen anyone else do it." she said to the youngest Rosenwald.

"Strange…" Leon mumbled

"I think it's got something to do with Snape not getting along with Harry's dad, I think that might be why but…"

"Snape's an adult, would he really carry such a grudge?" Nick wondered

"I dunno." Skylar mumbled "But he seems really… I dunno, he went to Filch for help with his leg, he couldn't or wouldn't go to a single other person."

"What was wrong with his leg?" Leon questioned

"He got bitten by Fluffy. Harry and Ron apparently saw him in the corridors on Halloween while coming to rescue Hermione and I. For some reason, he was heading towards the third floor corridor instead of being in the dungeons with the other teachers were he was supposed to be. They think Snape is trying to steal what ever Fluffy is guarding and tired to get past it on Halloween." Skylar explained

"Snape? But he's a teacher?" Leon said looking alarmed and Skylar shrugged

"Seems he tried to get past Fluffy on Halloween, tried to jinx Harry's broom…" Nick listed.

"If it's not Snape, than he either knows what's going on, or someone's framing him or…" Skylar listed

"Regardless, someone or something's going on at Hogwarts." Nick said

"How often does a troll get in after all." Leon mumbled

"Something weird's going on." Skylar nodded

"You're right, it's a good thing I didn't tell Mum this stuff, I think she'd freak out." Leon turned to look at the doorway as if expecting Dominique to burst in.

"How did you guys get drawn into this?" Nick asked looking at Skylar.

"Well… sounds like you can blame Hagrid for taking Harry to get the package and Malfoy for being childish and Ron and Harry for being… easily egged on." Skylar said thinking "Seems to be where it all came from, it's how we learnt of the package and of the dog… if that's what you can call it."

The two boys smirked slightly.

There was a knock on the door and the three turned for the door to opened and Nathaniel stood there.

"Dinner time." the three shared a grin before getting up and moving to the door.


	26. Chapter 26

Chapter 26:

Skylar, Leon and Nick all stood in the ballroom, watching as Midori hung up holly around the walls, had a tree decorated in the corner, the fire place had a glorious fire burning and the ceiling had been bewitched to have snow fall, the stuff melting before it even hit head high. Icicles had been dropped from the mantel piece, window frames and the torch holders on the walls to make everything look frosty.

"I don't see the point of this." Leon mumbled

"Guess Mum and dad are bored." Nick thought

Skylar was leaning on the wall watching the elf with her siblings.

"I've never gotten into the spirit of all this fancy stuff." Leon said

"Me either." Nick nodded before he grinned "I kinda get the feeling Sabre was the same in his youth."

"Wonder what happened…" Leon mumbled

"He grew up." Skylar offered. The two boys shared a look.

"You're being rather quiet?" Nick noticed

"Not excited?" Leon asked grinning

"I don't see why I should be. All those Slytherins will be coming, now we have our houses it's just going to get more unpleasant."

"Why don't you send Hermione an owl and offer she comes?" Nick wondered

"I would, but what with who is coming, all those purebloods who don't like muggles, I don't want to put her parents into such a position. I mean not everyone will treat them that way but…"

Nick sighed. "I guess that's a point."

"Besides they can't travel like we can, dad or mum would have to go get them or they'd likely never make it." Skylar remembered. She slumped slightly annoyed, looking around the room. "Doubt I'm gonna have any fun, Ron and the twins are at Hogwarts and can't come, Ginny's in Romania and can't come, Harry's at Hogwarts too and cannot come. I'm gonna have to put up with Draco instead."

"Have fun with that." Nick nodded and she shot him a look.

"Still don't see why it's necessary?" Leon mumbled

"It's not necessary." Nick shrugged

"It's socialisation." the three turned to see Dominique had stopped at the doorway. "You three have had plenty of fun at the others, before you had your school friends." The three shared a look and Nick sighed over dramatically.

"She has to be right doesn't she?" his mother chuckled before moving on to do something else.

"Mother's usually are." she called back.

The three chuckled before leaving the ballroom.

Skylar stood before the mirror in her purple robes, her hair pinned into curls and framing her face. She fiddled with a few strands before the door opened and Leon grinned at her.

"Better come down stairs, the first few guests started arriving." he said and she nodded before moving out with him and through the corridor.

"You look nice." he said smiling and she grinned

"Thanks Leon, you're not too bad." she said bumping his shoulder as he wore deep midnight blue robes.

"Well thank you." he said standing taller before the two giggled and headed down the stairs.

As they entered the foyer Midori opened the door for another guest and the two greeted the new comers before offering to lead them to the ballroom here music was streaming out from.

It was yet from being full, however a few people mingled here and there. Dominique was talking to a couple, wearing deep pink coloured robes while Nathaniel was moving from one group to another in his deep maroon while Nicholas was tottering around in a green.

The room had a real frosty look to it, white, icy, yet warm with the fire glowing and the torches flaring. The snow added to the bright white colour as the tree sparkled in the corner and the glasses shone to perfection.

"I have to admit, it does look rather picturesque." Skylar grinned. Leon chuckled at her before he moved off towards their mother. She smiled and spoke to him before he addressed those she spoke to. Skylar turned to a tray of drinks that floated to her side and took a butterbeer from it.

She turned as voices reached her from the foyer and turned to see the shining pale blonde hair of the Malfoys. Skylar turned away, took a breath and then walked off toward Nick. He turned to her as she appeared at his shoulder.

"Why does dad insist on inviting them? None of us like them anyway." Nick glanced at her as she whispered and saw the head of the family being greeted by one of the other guests, a ministry official.

"I don't know, maybe it's to keep things civil."

"Civil for what?" she muttered as she glanced at them and Draco caught her eye. He stared at her for a moment before moving toward her. Nick ducked away as his sister was distracted and she waited for the Slytherin.

"Evening."

"Oh now you're pleasant." she returned. His lip curled ever so slightly.

"Not my fault who you choose to hang out with."

"Not my fault you have such a grudge over someone you hardly know." she returned. "Nor that you were raised to hold a disdainful attitude." He stared at her.

"If I were raised it wouldn't be my fault either."

"You don't bother to rebel against it." she responded. "Typical Slytherin I guess."

"Better than Gryffindor."

"Being a Gryffindor means I'm more likely to have a lot more friends than you, Draco." Skylar said

"Better than being friends with Mudbloods!" Skylar looked at him surprised before her expression contorted. Draco managed to keep is face plain as he saw the anger in her.

"I have every authority to ask my father to get you to leave for being rude to my friends." She said. "And I'll be friends with whoever I want to be. Unlike you I'm not so naive to judge someone just because of their background. I mean how can you blame them? It's not their fault they're magic." she said obviously

"They shouldn't be let in with us real wizards."

"What else should be done with them?" Draco stared at her, almost as if he was refusing to give an answer. "You think they should be left with the muggles? What and let the magic explode out of them when they try to contain it. Don't you know anything? If we did that we'd end up with exposure due to an obscurus."

"Afraid of fairy tails." he said snidely

"Wow, you are naive, it's not a fairy tail Draco." Skylar said "You know, it's this animosity you're giving me, and that you think you're better than everyone, that prevented you from being able to become friends with Harry. Imagine what your parents might have said if you'd won over the Famous Harry Potter." she said glancing at them. "I wonder if they know you gave the boy such an offer, the cause of your beloved You-Know-Who's demise."

Draco didn't glance at his parents and Skylar smirked.

"Complained about him have you."

"Stop it." he snapped

"Seems you might be jealous of Harry, no wonder you seem to hate him so much." Skylar continued

"Jealous? Of a stupid scar?"

"Jealous of his flying talents, the fact that he got on the team a year before you could, jealous most of the teachers seem to favour him, Snape being the exception, jealous of his fame too."

"Stay out of my head." he hissed, glancing around them as he kept his voice low.

"Not my fault you're an open book." she said raising an eyebrow slightly. "You should learn to block your mind more."

"You should learn not to invade others privacy."

"You're the one that came over to talk to me Draco, knowing the consequences." she said obviously

"Doesn't mean you have the right—"

"You're in my house Draco, what gives you the right to be snide to me?" she returned. He was silent for a moment, pursing his lips.

"Draco!" The two turned to see Pansy Parkinson moving toward them and away from her parents who she'd just entered with.

Both of them released a slight groan and Draco glanced back at her as she rose an amused eyebrow before Pansy gripped at his arm.

"I've missed you." she said and Draco said nothing in return. She however turned to Skylar.

"Rosenwald." she simply greeted.

"Do not forget you're in my house Porkinson." she insulted and the girl looked both angry and hurt. "Show some respect to your host, we very well could have not of invited you." Skylar said looking the girl over.

"Like you'd dare."

"Well it's not like it'd cost us much, besides being spared of your embarrassing attachment to Draco here." she said, glancing at the girl clinging to Draco. Pansy released the boy almost instantly like he'd burned her and Skylar smiled before she moved off and away from them. Draco took Pansy's release as an opportunity to move over to his mother as Skylar grabbed Nick's arm as he was talking to one of their father's friends about how school was going.

"I can't believe you left me with him." she said irritatedly in his ear before moving off. Her brother smirked slightly before turning back to his conversation.

"I swear she's gotten more attached to him since school started." Skylar stopped as Daphne appeared beside her and she sighed. The two glanced back at Pansy who was back with her parents but glancing at Draco quite often.

"The fact that you lot laugh at everything she says seems to have given her more confidence in herself." Skylar said raising an eyebrow. Daphne shrugged

"Never really picked you for the following type Daphne."

"More I don't care." she responded before the two chuckled slightly. Skylar glanced around before she noticed the head of the Greengrass family and noticed he were alone, so was Daphne.

"Where's Astoria? And your mother?"

Daphne rolled her eyes. "Astoria's too unwell, Mum's home with her."

"I'm surprised your dad is here." Skylar mumbled.

Astoria had a disease, well, it was a curse. An ancestor of the Greengrass line which resulted in a blood malediction. Despite the curse having been put on an ancestor, it had arisen in Astoria, so many generations later and left her frail. Occasionally Daphne got rather harsh when her sister was concerned as her parents gave Astoria so much worship. Regardless, Astoria worshiped her sister, and whenever she could she would be stuck to her sister's side.

"Yeah well, mum decided it would be rude for them both to decline." Daphne said "Astoria wanted me to come and have some fun too seeing as I'm confined to the house because of her these holidays." Daphne said looking displeased. "If it's going to be like that I might as well stay at Hogwarts." Skylar said nothing but simply nodded. Comforting the girl was not something that was done easily in this situation.

When the music was turned up Leon came up to Skylar and the two siblings danced around before Leon moved off for mum and Nick took his place. Skylar grinned as her brother twirled her around before she danced with her dad.

There was a pause in the dancing to celebrate Christmas and the New year coming, glasses raised, before a few people disembarked and other's danced again. The Greengrass family as well as Pansy and her family were some of the first to leave, Daphne said goodbye to Skylar, but Pansy walked out with only a thanks for the Rosenwald parents. Skylar and Nick shared a smirk, both trying to hide it, as the pug-faced girl stomped from the ballroom.

"Bit childish wasn't it." Nick muttered and his sister nodded.

"Ahh well, hardly surprised."

"Draco didn't ask you for a dance then did he?" Leon said appearing.

"Pretty sure he was forced to the last time." Skylar reminded him before she grabbed a drink from a tray coming past. Leon had a pumpkin pasty in his hand and Nick rose an eyebrow at him.

"Is all you've been doing this evening is eating?" he asked

"Not like there's anyone to talk to or anything to talk about." Leon shrugged "I haven't been at school like you two." he reminded them jealously.

"What about the car?" they chorused

"No one cares that we bought a muggle machine." Leon said rolling his eyes before he left the two.

"If I didn't know better I'd say he was becoming witty in his old age." Skylar said earning a chuckle from Nick.

"We may need to watch out."

The last guests departed late into the night and the five family members waved them out, Leon and Skylar yawning as they did.

"Now it wasn't too bad was it?" Dominique said to her children as there was the usual pop off in the distance from the last guest disapparating.

"What?" Nathaniel asked

"They were questioning the party's necessity." she told her husband

"And when Sabre become into galahs." Leon added earning a chuckle from his father as Skylar yawned again.

"I think I'd best go to bed." she muttered

"I agree, before you fall over while standing." Nick said before he took his sister's hand and began to guide her up the stairs.

"These parties are tiring mum." Skylar said "And can we stop having so many Slytherin children. I feel like the house needs a clean." her family laughed.

"Now Skylar don't be so discriminatory." Her mother advised

"Why? They are." she mumbled as she moved around the corner at the top of the stairs and through the hall towards her bedroom. Nick released her to go to his own room before the girl closed her door behind her.


	27. Chapter 27

Chapter 27:

The three children rose late on Christmas morning, much to the parents appreciation. The stockings of small gifts sat on the ends of their beds and Skylar, being the last to wake, was the last to empty hers before moving downstairs for breakfast.

"Merry Christmas sleepy head." Nick grinned

"Told you parties were tiring." she said yawning as she sat down.

Breakfast consisted of waffles and pancakes and french toast in which the children were allowed to pick from along with an assortment of toppings including ice-cream, chocolate, a range of fruits, sugars and syrup.

"Happy Christmas Skylar." Dominique pet her daughters hair and Skylar smiled.

"Merry Christmas mum, dad." she turned to her dad who nodded to her. He had the prophet in front of him as he had been waiting for the girl. He folded it up as the two boys tucked into the breakfast selection.

"Good morning to you too Leon." Skylar said. He waved at her, having just stuffed a strawberry into his mouth and she rolled her eyes before grabbing a few pancakes and topping them herself.

"So I was thinking we should go out and do something this Christmas." Dominique said to Nathaniel. The children all paused and looked at their mother, Christmas' were always spent at home as a family. They were usually kept entertained enough by the gifts they'd received in the morning or by the snow that sometimes fell outside.

"What about Midori's splendid turkey?" Leon frowned

"And the potatoes?"

"And the stuffing!" Skylar grinned.

Their parents laughed

"We missed out on that when we went to the Weasleys for Christmas remember?" Dominique reminded them.

"That was completely different." the three chorused

"Mrs Weasley still made us a home cooked meal, if we went out we wouldn't get that." Leon said as Skylar nodded

"I wouldn't be the same." she said.

Nathaniel was chuckling at his children before he turned to his wife. "I think you've been outvoted dear."

"Seems so." she nodded. "Well I guess we'll have to open the gifts under the tree and then indulge in Midori's amazing cooking."

The sitting room that lead of the foyer, in which the family used most, was where the Christmas tree was set up in. The room was covered in wrapping paper as the pile of presents beneath the tree had been demolished. Leon had gotten his own chess set as he had previously been using his fathers and was sitting on the floor with Nick testing it out.

Nick had received a new broomstick, hoping to be able to try out for the Quidditch team in due time. It was sitting beside him as he played with Leon. He was waiting for the sun to gain a bit more height before he moved outside. Leon was just as excited by Nick's new present as it meant he got the boys old broom, a Cleansweep.

Skylar however had received a magical music box which she had on the table before her as she sat on the couch listening to the symphony it was pumping out.

Nathaniel had bought his wife a new watch while Dominique had purchased her husband a Muggle book on how to look after automobiles, now that he owned one.

Midori made the family a glorious Christmas lunch; roast turkey, roast and boiled potatoes, chipolatas, buttered peas, a silver boat of thick, rich gravy and cranberry sauce. Their plates were all loaded up as they laughed across the table which Dominique had decorated with a skiing snowman, which entertained them all by skiing through the air just above the table and around the plates of food.

Christmas crackers were laded around the plates, allowing everyone to pull them. The wizard crackers blasted like canon fire or exploded in a flash, covering the dining room in all sorts of coloured smoke and harmless fires. All sorts of hats and objects tumbled out including small live animals that ran all over the room. Nick received a golden crown from his cracker and propped it on his head until it lifted off much to his surprise. Everyone watched as it dropped onto Skylar's reddish brown hair and she grinned.

Nick glared at her playfully before she threw him a wizards hat which had come from her cracker. He responded by pulling it onto his head and then waving his arms around as if trying to get the crown back from his sister. His siblings laughed as his parents chuckled at his actions.

All sorts of games fell out of the crackers with the hats and they were piled up in spare places on the table, the snowman using them as jumps in his quest to skate around.

Dessert brought baked Alaska, a special treat from Midori which everyone was very impressed with as the flaming meringue was lowered into the centre of the table. Following it came a flaming Christmas pudding, slightly smaller, as the drinks were changed and the goblets filled.

They sat and their mother read them a passage from a book as they waited for their food to settle before the three children went outside, Nick wanting to try out his new broom. The small shed that stood in the small field used for their Quidditch held the brooms they already had, a total of three as the children had not been allowed brooms until a certain age. Nick's old broom sat within it as well as two old ones of their father's, one older than the other. Leon took Nick's old broom while Skylar took the newest of their father's and they all mounted before Nick kicked off first. His broom, being the newest, was the fastest and he enjoyed immensely as Leon tried to catch him while Skylar tired to outwit him.

They raced around until a bell rang through the air, a light tingling. The three landed and the brooms were put away besides Nick's new one, which he was planning on taking back to Hogwarts with him. They moved for the kitchen, where their mother was standing. There was a bell hanging off the wall which she'd rung, it was magically charmed to be heard regardless of the distance or activities being done, of course it only worked within the Rosenwald estate boundaries.

They had a small supper which consisted of sandwiches made with the left over turkey and chipolatas, a few crumpets which they had with warm drinks of tea followed by trifle and Christmas cake with eggnog before the three children were heavy with sleep and warm food.

Skylar climbed her way up to her bedroom, Leon trudging along behind before she flopped herself onto her bed happily. She pulled a book from her bedside table, reading the evening away before managing to stand, change and climb into her large bed. Her music box stood on her chest of draws, playing softly as she fell asleep. Midori moved into the room later on in the evening to turn the music box off as the girl slept.

New years brought just as much food and a late night for the three children as they set off fireworks and danced around the garden outside, their parents chuckling at their antics.

With the new year beginning, Skylar and Nick were due back at Hogwarts, the train scheduled to take them back the day before classes were to begin.

"I feel like you only just got here." Leon frowned as he lay on his stomach on his sister's bed, watching her move around her room.

"Christmas holidays aren't like summer ones. So much shorter." Skylar reminded him "Besides, I want to find out what Christmas was like at Hogwarts." Skylar said to Leon as she put what she'd brought back from the castle into her bag. "I want to know what Harry and Ron did all this time."

"I just can't believe you're leaving already." Leon frowned

"I couldn't stay even if I wanted to." Skylar reminded him "It's school remember."

"Yeah but now I'm thrown into boredom again."

"I thought finding the car was fun?"

"It was hardly lengthy." Leon mumbled

"Well think of it this way, when I next return, it'll be for the summer." Skylar said "And that will be the last of it. You'll then be leaving with us!" Skylar grinned "You've only got half a year left."

"It's so long!" Leon complained

"Looks like it but trust me, I'll be home before you know it." Skylar said smiling "Besides, I'm kind of looking forward to going back, even if you asked and even if I could choose, I definitely still go."

"Doesn't this mean exams are closer?" Leon asked and Skylar paused. Her brother laughed and she shot him a look.

"I'll think about it later, after easter." she mumbled "But classes are interesting and fun, and Harry, Ron, Hermione and I have enough fun for me to want to go back. Sitting around here is completely different. It felt weird."

"Glad I could amuse you." Leon mumbled and his sister chuckled

"I loved coming to see you Leon, but I've been with you for how many years? This is my first at Hogwarts. Would you give it up?"

Leon stared at her unable to answer before he pouted slightly.

"It's not like you never learned, you used to always be learning things here, reading."

"I was reading books but it's a little different, you'll see."

"What ever." Leon mumbled and Skylar chuckled

"Don't worry Leon, time will pass faster than you think. Besides, I already had a confrontation with a troll, who knows what else might happen. I'll send you all the details."

Leon chuckled. "Better hope interesting stuff happens then in the next few months."

"For your benefit of course." Skylar said and Leon nodded before the two chuckled.

The door opened and the two turned to see Nick there, he had a bag slung over one shoulder and his broom over the other.

"Time to get going, or we'll miss the train." he said smirking

"Dad driving us again?" Skylar wondered as she moved over to her cat carrier cage. Meridiem was already curled up in it in anticipation and the girl zipped it up with her inside. The white cat looked up at her sleepily before curling herself back up again.

"No I think he's going to apparate the two of us."

"What?" Leon asked looking appalled "I wanted to come!"

"You're lucky he let you pick us up." Nick said

"Yeah he didn't let us do that when Nick came back during his first year, remember." Skylar said as she zipped up her bag.

"Probably just came this time to show off the car." Nick chuckled and Skylar nodded as she walked over to him, Meridiem in one hand as Leon got up to do the same.

"I don't blame him, a brand new toy." Skylar said as they walked down the corridor. "I mean remember Leon with his broomstick."

"Wouldn't get off the thing."

"I"m surprised you could get off yours." Leon muttered to his brother, eyeing it.

"Well, I'll go play with the twins, got a whole Quidditch pitch there."

"Bigger than ours." Skylar nodded and Leon grinned

"I can't wait!" he said excitedly before it disappeared and he was disappointed again. His siblings grinned as they got to the stairs and moved down them to where their mother and father were waiting.

"All ready then?" Dominique asked "Sure you haven't forgotten anything?"

"Most of the stuff was let behind anyway." Skylar shrugged, looking at her brother who nodded in agreement.

"Well, you two study hard, you have your exams this time round." she warned

"And Nick your O. are only two years away, I suggest you start giving some serious effort to your future." Nathaniel said

"Way to be a downer dad." Nick frowned and his father chuckled

"Dad, can't I come to see them off?"

"It wont be anything more exciting than the last time you did." Nathaniel told his youngest

"It'll likely just make her want to go to Hogwarts more," Dominique thought "Watching the train leave again.

"Might even make him sad, seeing it leave without him." Skylar added and Nick nodded before he placed a mocking hand on his brother's shoulder.

"Don't worry little one, your time will come." Leon shook his brother's hand off irritated as they all chuckled at him.

"Will you just leave already." he said

"Ouch." Skylar said smirking

"Come on then." Nathaniel moved to the door as Midori ran down the hall and handed the two children their cloaks. They pulled them tightly before their father opened the door for them and with a wave to Leon and their mother they walked out of the door.


	28. Chapter 28

Chapter 28:

King Cross was as busy as ever when the three crossed the road and moved into the large building. Nathaniel moved with the children towards platforms nine and ten where they saw briefly a few others ducking through the barrier.

"Alright, have a good rest of your term." he smiled at them, hugging his daughter.

"I'll write." Skylar said and when the two looked at him Nick shrugged

"If something interesting enough happens." Nathaniel chuckled and clapped his son on the shoulder.

"Be good."

"Just like you were." Nick added with a salute earning a laugh from Skylar.

The girl took her brother's hand and they waved to their father before moving to the barrier that hid platform nine and three-quarters.

The two moved through the crowd, not nearly as busy as at the beginning of the year, and along the platform.

"Carriages towards the end are usually empty…" Nick muttered and Skylar was glancing around as he spoke. "Sky if you don't pay attention you'll loose me."

"You'll be at the end of the train." she returned "I was just trying to find Hermione."

"Well I'm sure she'll come find you."

"Unless she's waiting for me." the girl muttered "Let's get a compartment and I'll go have a look down the train." she decided and Nick rolled his eyes before they got onto the last carriage.

Most of the compartments were empty here and Nick moved into one where Skylar put Meridem's cage down, unzipping it and put her bag in the overhead, Nick doing the same. He didn't have Mitchum with him, having left the barn owl at Hogwarts.

"I'll be back." Skylar said and she left the carriage to move off along the train. She figured Hermione would have arrived before her, being muggle born she'd have to drive and take traffic and delays into consideration.

She passed a few of her fellow classmates as she went, Neville gave her a small smile and she nodded to him before she gave Fay Dunbar a hug. Dean and Seamus greeted her, Dean giving her a high five as they asked her about her Christmas before she continued on her way. Draco glanced at her from his seat in a compartment with Pansy, Crabbe and Goyle seemed yet to arrive.

Skylar didn't find Hermione on the train and so she hopped off while she headed back to the other end towards where she'd left her brother.

She passed a few more familiar faces from other houses before getting back on the train and entering the compartment.

"There you are!" Skylar looked up to see Hermione getting to her feet.

"Here I am? There you are." Skylar responded "I've been looking for you."

"Why'd you bother?" Hermione wondered as Skylar closed the compartment door behind her. Nick was sitting on the seats with Meridiem in his lap.

"Well I figured you'd have gotten here before me and might already be in a compartment." Skylar said

"We got stuck in traffic." Hermione shrugged

"I thought you'd have accommodated for that." Skylar mumbled before she took a seat

"Well if we always agree to meet on the last carriage we wont need to worry about wondering." Hermione said sitting next to her

"It wasn't that bad, saw some people, had a few chats," Skylar shrugged "How was your Christmas?"

"Quiet. Mum and dad were really interested to hear about school and the classes and all." Hermione admitted "You?"

"Ate a lot of food and Nick got a new broomstick so we spent the afternoon outside." Skylar smiled

"And did you mention Nicholas Flamel?" Hermione asked, glancing at Nick fleetingly

"Not to my parents but the boys have no clue who he is either. And I checked a few of the books we've got and couldn't find him in them." Skylar admitted "I'm hoping Harry and Ron had better luck."

"You think?" Hermione asked looking skeptical and Skylar chuckled

"Who knows." she confessed before the whistle blew and they looked out the window. The last of those on the platform were hurrying to the train, parents were waving and other's were leaving before the train moved and began to pull from the station.

"Home stretch now." Nick said

"Which means our exams, I was studying at home while thinking of planners so we can study properly for them. I've got it all worked out with the holidays and our free periods…"

Skylar and Nick shared a look as Hermione began her ramble about how she was planning for her, Skylar and the two boys to study. They shared a grin as she seemed to go on until the trolly cart arrived, where they all bought some lunch and Nick treated the girls to some lollies.

"So how was Leon?" Hermione asked

"Sad we were leaving so soon." Skylar admitted "Couldn't cheer him up by reminding him he was going in just a few months time either."

"Must be hard being the youngest."

"Ginny was hardly any different." Skylar nodded

"Ginny?" Hermione asked

"Ron's little sister, she's coming next year with Leon too." Skylar said

"And she's the youngest of seven." Nick said

"And the only girl." Skylar nodded before turning to Hermione "Mrs Weasley always wanted a daughter and she got six boys first."

"Seventh time the charm I guess." Nick said before the two were snickering and Hermione looked like she was very much trying not to laugh.

The train pulled up at Hogsmeade station after the sun had set as it had at the beginning of the year. Skylar put the dozy Meridiem in her carrier before the three moved out into the corridor with everyone else. They moved through the chilly winter air towards where the carriages were waiting for them and the three plus two other girls got into one. It moved towards the castle after the door had closed, rocking and bumping its way up the lane towards the castle which came into view through the windows, passing the boars on either side of the Hogwarts gates. Skylar grinned as she saw the castle, happy to be back so soon.

People were filing up the front steps and moving all through the entrance hall, most headed for their dormitories, the Slytherins down to the dungeons, the Hufflepuffs through a door on the entrance hall and the Ravenclaw and Gryffindors upstairs to their towers.

Hermione and Skylar moved up the stairs for the common room as Nick moved into the Great Hall looking for the Weasley twins.

The two girls moved up to the Gryffindor common room, glad to find the password hadn't changed over the holidays and moved into the warm room full of squishy armchairs.

"There they are." the two girls turned to see Harry and Ron by the fire.

"Hey guys." Skylar smiled, moving over to them and putting her bags down. She opened the carrier cage and Meridiem bounded out.

"Have a good Christmas?" Hermione asked as Skylar plopped herself down in a chair.

Ron and Harry shared a look. "It was fun." Ron said

Skylar rose an eyebrow before she looked surprised. "What were you doing roaming the castle at night!" she demanded

"Skylar!" the boys scolded as Hermione looked horror shocked.

"Well?" Skylar asked, ignoring their complaints

Harry looked at Ron before he got to his feet and suddenly disappeared up the stairs to the dormitories.

"Well did you find anything out about Nicholas Flamel?" Hermione asked Ron.

The boy turned his gaze away. "We tried…" he said

"Lier." Skylar said

"Stop it." he warned as Harry came down. He had a bundle in his arms and he handed it to Skylar who rose an eyebrow. She took the bundle and her expression changed to surprise. It felt like water woven into material, soft and fluid. Skylar glanced around the common room, lowering the stuff in her hands as a few others moved into the common room and up to the dorms before she stood up and the bundle unfolded.

"This is an invisibility cloak." she knew "Wow."

"I've read about those, where'd you get that?" Hermione asked

"It was given to me for Christmas."

"You know your dad had one of these." Skylar said as she lowered her hands as people moved from the Dormitories to the porthole before she swung it around her shoulders. "My dad told me how they used to use it to get around the castle."

"Apparently that was my dad's." Harry confessed "He left it to someone before he died and they gave it back."

"By who?" Hermione asked as Skylar's body all vanished beside her head, which floated in mid air.

"It wasn't signed." Harry confessed as Skylar removed it.

"He used it to go to the restricted section though." Ron said

"At night?" Hermione asked looking shocked "If Filch had caught you!"

"He was invisible Hermione." Ron said rolling his eyes

"Why?" Skylar asked looking at Harry

"For Nicholas Flamel." Harry said as he took the cloak back

"And did you find him?" Skylar asked

"No, I did find a screaming book, attracted Filch." Skylar and Hermione stared

"But he found this mirror while escaping." Ron said "It showed me as Head boy with the Quidditch Cup and being Quidditch captain." he grinned

"It showed me my parents." Harry said

"The Mirror showed you different things?" Skylar asked

"It must've been enchanted." Hermione said matter-of-factly.

"Dumbledore said it showed us what we most desired." Harry said

"Dumbledore?"

"Harry went three nights in a row and it turned out Dumbledore knew." Ron said

"You were out of bed three nights in a row?!" Hermione demanded

"Dumbledore saw you?" Skylar asked and Harry nodded

"He told me about it and how it works, before telling me he was moving it." he said

"Gosh, you guys had an interesting Christmas." Skylar muttered

"But you didn't find anything about Nicholas Flamel?" Hermione brought back and the three looked at her.

"I almost got caught by Filch and Snape while trying." Harry said

"But you went out three times and only tried once." she said "You only tried once all holidays?" she said looking at them both.

"It was holidays Hermione, there was snow outside." Skylar shrugged

"And you're much better at looking up information than us anyway." Ron added "Lighten up."

"Do you not want to find him at all?" Hermione asked annoyed.

"I don't think this little object is going anywhere yet Hermione." Skylar said carefully

"Unless Snape gets it." Hermione said. She looked highly disappointed at them all before she moved for the dormitories to put her things away.

The three shared a look.

"Well I had a nice Christmas." Skylar said changing the subject "Got a music box, Leon got a chess set and Nick got a new broomstick." she said "Oh and your mum sent me another jumper." she said to Ron.

"She sent Harry one too." Ron nodded

"Which colour?" she asked him

"Emerald green."

"Mine are sky blue." Skylar smiled.

"Thank your mum for me too by the way." Harry said

"Well she finally gets the chance to buy you things." Skylar smiled "I doubt she'd give that up." the girl got to her feet, picking up her bags.

"So, dinner?" Skylar offered and they nodded before she moved to the dormitory. Hermione was unpacking her bag as Skylar dumped her's on her bed.

"We're going for dinner, want to come?" she offered. Hermione huffed

"What if Harry had gotten into trouble?"

"Again, it doesn't affect you Hermione."

"He'd loose house points." Hermione said "How does that not affect me?"

"Not like you'd be the one to blame." Skylar shrugged before she moved to place an arm around her. "Look, don't be huffy, I don't think the hopes were high they'd do too much work on holidays." Skylar said "And with you back you can look to your hearts content."

"I'm only one person, I can't do everything."

"Wont stop you from trying." Skylar said before she placed her hands on the girl's shoulders and pushed her from the room. "Now come on, I'm hungry."


	29. Chapter 29

Chapter 29:

Hermione's determination didn't weaver and once term had started, they were back to skimming through books for ten minutes during their breaks, looking for the mysterious Nicholas Flamel. Skylar and Harry had less time than the other two for Harry had Quidditch practices which had started up again and Skylar was back at her Legilimency lessons with Professor Dumbledore.

The girl had received a letter within the first few days from the headmaster confirming they were going ahead with their lessons still this term as well. Also within the letter had been the password for the Gargoyle in order for her to access the Headmaster's office up the top of the spiral staircase. Much to the girl's surprise, Professor Dumbledore had decided he was now teaching her by herself, she was no longer to have lessons with Nick. The main purpose, of course, for Nick joining in with her lessons was to a, make her more comfortable and b, for him to practice what he'd learnt on someone else. The headmaster was also able to gage Skylar's abilities that way. However Nick had been having lessons for the last two and a half years now.

 _Must get boring to always be revisiting the same things…_ Skylar thought. Nick also had lessons a lot less frequently than Skylar did. Now it meant that Dumbledore would be solely focused on only her and helped her progress, rather than having to refine for Nick as well. Her lessons were still Friday afternoons in her free period starting at three o'clock.

Her first one was the first Friday of the term and the girl bid Hermione, Ron and Harry goodbye in order to proceed towards it.

Dumbledore spent most of the lesson revising what they'd learnt so far, the differences in interpretation as well as navigating the mind carefully. She was yet to begin reeling her ability in.

"Until you have reached your potential it is not wise to begin limiting it." Dumbledore had said when she'd asked. "If it does bother you, you should learn to not speak about what you hear so often." he said looking at her over his half-moon spectacles, a look that seemed to be as if he was looking through her, not just at her.

"Before we get to that however there's your defences. Next year we'll move on to Occlumency and developing those more."

Skylar only knew the basics of Occlumency, enough to block her brothers out but she was sure if they tried they'd be able to break through it.

Skylar returned to the common room after her lesson to find Hermione and Ron playing chess. Chess was the only thing Hermione ever lost at, something Harry and Ron thought was very good for her. Skylar believed it'd help her to build her character and tolerance a little, seeing as she could progress at anything else with just a book. The girl sat herself down, glancing at the windows as she did. It was pouring wth rain outside.

"Harry not back?" she asked as he was missing from the common room and they both shook their head without looking up. Skylar rose an eyebrow at them both before the porthole opened and the boy in question walked in. Skylar grinned at him before she saw his face looked rather pale.

"Harry…?" she said as he sat beside her

"Don't talk to me for a moment," said Ron, "I need to concen-" He caught sight of Harry's face as Skylar looked concerned. "What's the matter with you? You look terrible."

"Snape's decided to be the Quidditch referee for the next match." he said

"What?" Skylar asked surprised

"Don't play," said Hermione at once.

"Say you're ill," said Ron.

"Pretend to break your leg," Hermione suggested.

" _Really_ break your leg," said Ron.

"Ron." Skylar scolded

"I can't," said Harry. "There isn't a reserve Seeker. If I back out, Gryffindor can't play at all."

At that moment the porthole opened and Neville suddenly toppled into the common room. How he had managed to climb through the portrait hole was anyone's guess, because his legs had been stuck together with what they recognised at once as the Leg-Locker Curse.

Everyone within the room fell over laughing except Hermione, who leapt up and performed the countercurse. Neville's legs sprang apart and he got to his feet, trembling.

"What happened?" Hermione asked him, leading him over to sit with Harry, Skylar and Ron.

"Malfoy," said Neville shakily. "I met him outside the library. He said he'd been looking for someone to practice that on."

Skylar grit her teeth, glancing at the porthole.

"Go to Professor McGonagall!" Hermione urged Neville. "Report him!"

Neville shook his head.

"I don't want more trouble," he mumbled.

"You're not going to cause trouble Neville." Skylar believed "You might just put him in his place, he happily rats everyone else out to Snape."

"You've got to stand up to him, Neville!" said Ron. "He's used to walking all over people, but that's no reason to lie down in front of him and make it easier."

"There's no need to tell me I'm not brave enough to be in Gryffindor, Malfoy's already done that," Neville choked out.

"That's not true, Neville." Skylar said as Harry handed the boy a chocolate frog, he looked like he was about to cry.

"You're worth twelve of Malfoy," Harry said. "The Sorting Hat chose you for Gryffindor, didn't it? And where's Malfoy? In stinking Slytherin."

"Of all the choices I think you got the better stick." Skylar nodded

Neville's lips twitched in a weak smile as he unwrapped the frog.

"Thanks, Harry, thanks Skylar… I think I'll go to bed… D'you want the card, you collect them, don't you?"

As Neville walked away, Harry looked at the Famous Wizard card.

"Dumbledore again," he said, "He was the first one I ever —" Skylar looked up at him as he suddenly gasped. He was staring at the back of the card before he looked up at the three of them.

" _I'_ _ve found him_!" he whispered suddenly, looking excited.

Skylar, Ron and Hermione shared a look, Skylar with a raised eyebrow.

"I've found Flamel!" he elaborated, causing the three to look surprised. "I _told_ you I'd read the name somewhere before, I read it on the train coming here — listen to this: 'Dumbledore is particularly famous for his defeat of the Dark wizard Grindelwald in 1945, for the discovery of the twelve uses of dragon's blood, _and his work on alchemy with his partner, Nicolas Flamel_ '!"

Skylar looked surprised while Hermione jumped to her feet. She hadn't looked so excited since they'd gotten back the marks for their very first piece of homework.

"Stay there!" she said, and she sprinted up the stairs to the girls' dormitories. Harry and Ron barely had time to exchange mystified looks, Skylar staring up the dormitory stairs before the girl was dashing back, an enormous old book in her arms.

"I never thought to look in here!" she whispered excitedly. "I got this out of the library weeks ago for a bit of light reading."

" _Light_?" said Ron, but Hermione told him to be quiet until she'd looked something up, and started flicking frantically through the pages, muttering to herself.

At last she found what she was looking for.

"I knew it! I _knew_ it!"

"Are we allowed to speak yet?" said Ron grumpily. Hermione ignored him.

"Nicolas Flamel," she whispered dramatically, "is the _only known maker of the Philosopher_ _'s Stone_!"

Skylar looked at her surprised while the boys looked quizzical.

"Are you serious?" she asked and Hermione nodded at her, giving her her attention as the boys said nothing. "One was actually made?!" Hermione nodded again. "That's incredible." Skylar believed while Hermione turned to the boys.

Both shared a lot before turning back to the two girls.

"The what?" said Harry and Ron. Hermione and Skylar shared a look.

"Oh, _honestly,_ don't you two read? Look — read that, there." She pushed the book toward them, and Harry and Ron read the passage about the Philosopher stone, a legendary substance that had the power to turn metal into pure gold and produce the Elixir of Life that made the drinker immortal.

The two boys looked up when they finished.

"See?" said Hermione "The dog must be guarding Flamel's Philosopher's Stone! I bet he asked Dumbledore to keep it safe for him, because they're friends and he knew someone was after it, that's why he wanted the Stone moved out of Gringotts!"

"A stone that makes gold and stops you from ever dying!" said Harry. "No wonder Snape's after it! _Anyone_ would want it."

"And no wonder we couldn't find Flamel in that _Study of Recent Developments in Wizardry,_ " said Ron. "He's not exactly recent if he's six hundred and sixty-five, is he?"

"Six hundred and sixty-five?" Skylar said and they all nodded before pushing the book towards her where it declared Flamel's age, as well as his wife, eight years younger.

"Wow…" she muttered "Imagine having lived for six hundred years!" she said looking alight at the idea "The way the world has changed, muggles advancing and wizards changing as well. Imagine if he could have been old enough to know Merlin and the Hogwarts founders." she said thinking

"That's why you'd want to live forever?" Ron asked with a raised eyebrow

"Well it's a little hard now to meet those people but watching how things evolve would be so interesting. And the people you'd get to meet."

"How about the fact that you can make anything into gold. What would you buy?" Ron questioned looking excited. "Well I guess its different for you, you probably could have what ever you'd like." he said to Skylar.

"It's not all mine remember, it's my parents, I only get so much."

Ron muttered under his breath inaudible words while Harry, Hermione and Skylar all shared a look, the latter rolling her eyes.

The discussion on what they'd use a Philosopher's stone for continued into Defence Against the Dark Arts the following morning. The two boys were discussion the opportunities while Hermione gave them disapproving looks and Skylar simply listened while they wrote down the different ways of treating werewolf bites.

Ron decided he'd buy his own Quidditch team and Skylar looked up at him with a raised eyebrow.

"And what would you gain from that?" she questioned quietly

"I'd always get a seat at matches." Ron shrugged

"You'd get tickets for your team, are you sure you'd get tickets for any game?" Skylar asked

"My game would be the best anyway."

"How can you be sure? And can you pay people enough to switch teams?" Skylar offered "What colours will your team be, can't be orange that's been taken." she said obviously.

Ron looked at her annoyed and she smiled. "It's easy to say something, but having a Quidditch team sounds a lot more like a hassle." she mumbled

"Coming from the hardcore fan."

"Not a hardcore fan. Passionate spectator." she said before noticing Harry was staring at his parchment looking unsure.

"Harry?" she said and he looked up at her. Saying his name caught Hermione and Ron onto his look and they turned to him as well. "Are you alright?" she wondered

"Thinking about the match." he muttered. Ron and Skylar shared a look as Hermione looked a little worried.

"What are you going to do about though?" Skylar asked "You've only got two options, play, or don't play."

Harry looked at her before glancing around the room.

"I'm going to play," Harry decided. "If I don't, all the Slytherins will think I'm just too scared to face Snape. I'll show them… it'll really wipe the smiles off their faces if we win."

"Just as long as we're not wiping you off the field," said Hermione.

"We need to remember that other teachers will be watching the match too." Skylar said "Could he do things with all eyes on him in the field?"

They all shared an unsure look.

"If we're that worried, and I know it's easier said than done, but Harry, the sooner you catch the snitch the better." she said. "If the game doesn't drag on, there's no opportunity for Snape to do anything." she said and Harry nodded.

"If I can find the snitch soon enough." he muttered and Skylar sighed.

"That's the issue yes." she muttered before copying some more notes. It seemed so surreal that a teacher was attacking Harry, she knew Snape held a grudge but wasn't this a bit much?


	30. Chapter 30

Chapter 30:

Ron, Hermione and Skylar accompanied Harry right to the lockers of the Quidditch pitch where they wished him luck. Hermione and Ron seemed to be over reacting, acting as though they'd never see him again. Skylar looked after them as they left before her before she turned to Harry.

"I don't see why they're acting so grim." she said to him. She grinned "Good luck."

"You don't think Snape'll try anything?"

"He'd have to do so with all eyes on him, being on the pitch like he is." she shrugged "Plus as if he'd try the same thing twice." Harry nodded

"Thanks Skylar."

She nodded. "Have fun." she winked before hurrying after the other two.

Ron and Hermione had taken a seat with Neville, their wands on hand as Ron slipped his up his sleeve. Skylar rolled her eyes. The two, unbeknownst to Harry had been practicing the leg-locker curse while he'd been at practices. Skylar only knew about it after having walked in on them practicing after one of her lessons with the head master.

"What are you doing?" she questioned when she walked in to find Ron falling over, his legs bound together. Hermione moved to him to perform the counter curse as Ron looked up at her.

"Malfoy gave us the idea, we're practicing."

"Why?"

"Incase Snape does something."

"I hardly doubt Snape will be deterred by a Leg-Locker curse, able to be performed by first years…" Skylar said.

They hadn't listened to her but seeing as they seemed so worried she'd let them practice with her around and by doing so she'd learnt the spell as well.

Skylar sat with the two before she gazed around the stands. Slytherins were all siding with Hufflepuff, anything to be against the Gryffindors, while Ravenclaws were split between the two. Something else caught her attention however besides all the black and yellow and gold and red. Something silver was shining in the sun and she squinted her eyes.

"Guys, guys looks!" she said as she nudged Ron beside her with her elbow.

"Ow! What?" he demanded

"It's Dumbledore!" she grinned pointing at the older man. Hermione and Ron looked over before looking surprise. "Which means no one can hurt Harry." she said to them.

Hermione looked overwhelmingly relieved suddenly, releasing a large sigh. Ron looked proud.

"Well, we can enjoy the game then." he said.

There was a heap of cheering as the two teams moved out onto the field and everyone looked down at them. Snape was the only one not looking forward to the game with anticipation. In fact he looked very mean.

"I've never seen Snape look so mean," Ron pointed out. "Look — they're off. Ouch!"

Someone had poked Ron in the back of the head. It was Malfoy.

"Oh, sorry, Weasley, didn't see you there."

Malfoy grinned broadly at Crabbe and Goyle.

"Wonder how long Potter's going to stay on his broom this time? Anyone want a bet? What about you, Weasley?"

Ron didn't answer as Skylar looked at him. Snape had just awarded Hufflepuff a penalty because George Weasley had hit a Bludger at him. Hermione, who had all her fingers crossed in her lap, was squinting fixedly at Harry, who was circling the game like a hawk, looking for the Snitch.

"Harry didn't fall off his broom, Draco." Skylar said "Which means there is no 'how long this time'. There wasn't even a last time." she said "Get your facts right wont you."

Draco looked at her annoyed. "But if you're that interested I'll bet that Harry has a smooth game and catches the snitch."

"Yeah right, like that tree frog could actually catch it."

"Whether he swallowed the snitch or not, he still caught it Draco, which was more than Slytherin managed. But I take it that you don't want to take the bet? What not confident enough? I suppose not, after all Gryffindor has got the better team, seeing as they beat to so called 'all-star Slyhterin'."

Draco turned his gaze away from her and to the game.

"Yeah, I figured as much, you can never take being shown up." Skylar said rolling her eyes.

"Shown up? By you?"

"When ever I have a comeback to what you say you shut up with no response." she said without turning to him. "You've never been able to stand up against me."

"Skylar! Ron!" said Hermione suddenly, "Harry — !"

Skylar looked quickly to see Harry had suddenly gone into a spectacular dive, which drew gasps and cheers from the crowd. Hermione stood up, her crossed fingers in her mouth, as Harry streaked toward the ground like a bullet. Skylar stood as well staring down after Harry.

"You're in luck, Weasley, Potter's obviously spotted some money on the ground!" said Malfoy.

Ron was suddenly leaping over the seats, landing on top of Malfoy and wrestling him to the ground. Neville hesitated, then clambered over the back of his seat to help.

"Come on, Harry!" Hermione screamed, leaping onto her seat to watch as Harry sped straight at Snape — she didn't even notice Malfoy and Ron rolling around under her seat, or the scuffles and yelps coming from the whirl of fists that was Neville, Crabbe, and Goyle. Skylar was staring down, shouting encouragement with Hermione, ignoring the five boys.

Up in the air, Snape turned on his broomstick just in time to see something scarlet shoot past him, missing him by inches — the next second, Harry had pulled out of the dive, his arm raised in triumph, the Snitch clasped in his hand.

The stands erupted; it had to be a record, no one could ever remember the Snitch being caught so quickly.

"Ron! Ron! Where are you? The game's over! Harry's won! We've won! Gryffindor is in the lead!" shrieked Hermione, dancing up and down on her seat and hugging Parvati Patil in the row in front.

Skylar turned around to see Ron and Malfoy on the ground and Neville was unconscious.

Crabbe and Goyle turned to Malfoy and Ron before Skylar turned to them, her wand pointed.

"I dare you." she said. They stared at the wand. They could be muscly but whether they'd punch Skylar of all people, not only a girl but of a prestigious household.

Skylar ignored them and reached down to grab Ron and pull hm off of Malfoy. The Gryffindors were climbing down from the stands and running towards Harry as he got off his broom.

"Come on! Let's go!" Skylar said before she yanked on Ron, who's nose was bleeding heavily, moving him away from Malfoy. Hermione ran after them and they moved down to the grounds. There was no way they were getting close to Harry who'd been lifted off the ground and onto the shoulders of many Gryffindors. Skylar was laughing as she cheered, the other two beside her.

The Gryffindor team nabbed Harry and he was carried off to the locker rooms to change while the other Gryffindors moved for the castle cheering.

Skylar turned to Ron and Hermione.

"I think we should get Neville to the Hospital Wing." she said "He seemed out cold…" she muttered

"I can get my nose fixed too." Ron muttered as he rubbed his sleeve on his nose, covering the fabric in blood.

The three grabbed Neville from under the seats in the stands and together they carried the boy to the Hospital Wing. None of them had been there before and they relied on Hermione to lead the way, having read _Hogwarts, A History_ more times than anyone.

Draco, who had a black eye, was already there with Crabbe and Goyle with the matron attending to him. The Hospital Wing was a a light room and the beds, lined up down the ward against the walls were covered in white linen sheets, tables on either side of them all.

"For goodness sakes… fighting during a match…" the women said as she turned when the door was open to see Neville slung over Ron and Skylar's shoulders, an awkward situation given Ron was taller than Skylar, while the boy in question had his face covered in blood. "I've told the Headmaster again and again!" she continued "Bring him here." she left Draco who was scowling at Ron as he and Skylar put Neville on the bed she'd indicated to.

"Right now young man, stay still." and she got to work on Ron's nose, ignoring Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle, the two bigger students scowling as usual, cracking their knuckles threateningly. Skylar shot Malfoy a look, clearly unhappy by his behaviour. The matron, Madam Pomfrey, was done with Ron's nose in an instant and she also cleaned off the blood from his face and clothes.

"Will Neville be alright?" Skylar asked the matron.

"He'll be fine. Just needs rest and care." she said sternly.

The three shared a look before they simply nodded. Madam Pomfrey did not seem like a women to contradict.

"Come on, let's get some dinner, I'm starving." Ron said

"Thank you Madam Pomfrey." Hermione said before heading for the door. Ron followed with a glare in Malfoy's direction, who scowled right back, while Skylar rolled her eyes at their childishness.

They moved down to the Great Hall which was all a flurry with anticipation, a different excitement compared to the morning. The three sat down to pull some food towards them and Skylar glanced along the table.

"Where's Harry?" she wondered

"He'll be along, he's probably with the team still." Ron shrugged

"Or putting his broom away." Hermione offered

"Gryffindor just got in the lead and the star is missing…" Skylar said "And you two just brush it off." she sighed as the two chuckled

"Not like he's in trouble." Ron shrugged.

Dinner seemed spectacular despite not being a huge feast like halloween or the beginning of the year. People all along the hall were chatting away, people moved along the Gryffindor table talking to one another, Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs were no different, happy to see Slytherin out of the lead even if Hufflepuff had seen a loss.

The plates cleared for desserts to appear and Harry was still yet to show while the Weasley Twins were sitting with Nick along the table, Angelina Johnson, one of the chasers, sat with Katie Bell and Alicia Spinnet, her other chasers while Wood was blabbering on to those around him. The rest of the team had returned while Harry was still a no show.

He wasn't the only one, a fleeting glance at the Teachers table had Skylar doing a double back. Two of the seats were empty, Quirrell's and Snape's. She stared for a moment before returning to her pudding and her curiosity as to Harry's whereabouts.

Harry didn't show at all through dinner but toward the end the Weasley twins and Nick went walking along the table until they reached Ron, Skylar and Hermione, giant grins on their faces.

"Party in the common room!" they declared

"Slytherin's out of the lead after seven years. Time to celebrate!" Nick said clapping his hands on his sister's shoulders.

"We're gonna get some food from the kitchens! Hope you're not planning on sleeping." Fred said

"So make sure our champion Seeker shows." George added before they moved further along to tell others.

"Well we can't have a party without the star." Skylar said "I'm gonna have a quick look, see if I can find Harry."

"We'll come." Hermione nodded as she rose from her seat. Both turned to Ron who looked disappointed as he hadn't finished his sticky date pudding.

"Hurry up." they chorused and he looked annoyed.

As it was the three didn't have to look far, Harry met them in the entrance hall.

"Harry, where have you _been_?" Hermione squeaked the moment she saw him.

"We won! You won! We won!" shouted Ron, thumping Harry on the back. "And I gave Malfoy a black eye, and Neville tried to take on Crabbe and Goyle single-handed! He's still out cold but Madam Pomfrey says he'll be all right — talk about showing Slytherin! Everyone's waiting for you in the common room, we're having a party, Fred and George stole some cakes and stuff from the kitchens."

"Never mind that now," said Harry breathlessly, surprising the three "Let's find an empty room, you wait 'til you hear this…" They followed the boy until he found an empty classroom and, making sure Peeves wasn't inside, he lead the other three in before shutting the door behind them.

Harry rounded on the three as they waited.

"I just saw Snape heading into the forest."

"What?" Skylar asked

"He met Quirrell! He was talking about the Philosopher's Stone!" Harry said.

Ron blinked while Hermione and Skylar shared a look.

"So we were right, it _is_ the Philosopher's Stone, and Snape's trying to force Quirrell to help him get it. He asked if he knew how to get past Fluffy — and he said something about Quirrell's 'hocus- pocus' — I reckon there are other things guarding the stone apart from Fluffy, loads of enchantments, probably, and Quirrell would have done some anti-Dark Arts spell that Snape needs to break through —"

"So you mean the Stone's only safe as long as Quirrell stands up to Snape?" said Hermione in alarm.

"It'll be gone by next Tuesday," said Ron.

Skylar hung her head.


	31. Chapter 31

Chapter 31:

Quirrell however, must have been braver than they'd thought. In the weeks that followed he did seem to be getting paler and thinner, but it didn't look as though he'd cracked yet.

Every time they passed the third-floor corridor, Harry, Skylar Ron, and Hermione would press their ears to the door to check that Fluffy was still growling inside. Snape was sweeping about in his usual bad temper, which surely meant that the Stone was still safe. Harry it seemed had gotten into the habit of smiling encouragingly at Quirrell while Ron had started telling people off for laughing at Quirrell's stutter.

Hermione, however, had more on her mind than the Philosopher's Stone. She had started drawing up study schedules and colour-coding all her notes before nagging the others to do the same.

"We should have expected this, you know she was going on about exams on the train here after Christmas?" Skylar muttered to the boys.

"What?" Ron asked before they too looked at her, scribbling away.

"Hermione, the exams are ages away."

"Ten weeks," Hermione snapped. "That's not ages, that's like a second to Nicolas Flamel."

"But we're not six hundred years old," Ron reminded her. "Anyway, what are you studying for, you already know it all."

"What am I studying for? Are you crazy? You realise we need to pass these exams to get into the second year? They're very important, I should have started studying a month ago, I don't know what's gotten into me."

Unfortunately, the teachers seemed to be thinking along the same lines as Hermione. They piled so much homework on them that the Easter holidays weren't nearly as much fun as the Christmas ones. Hermione was constantly revising, reciting the twelve uses of dragon's blood or practicing wand movements. Skylar was the only other one out of the three that gave studying for the exams some importance, though she enjoyed reading however, studying for the theory exams were not her strong suit.

"Why can't we just do all practical? Those are hardly difficult." she mumbled.

Harry and Ron joined the two, though moaning and yawning as they did, the four of them sitting in the library and studying for exams.

"I'll never remember this," Ron burst out one afternoon, throwing down his quill and looking longingly out of the library window. It was the first really fine day they'd had in months. The sky was a clear, forget-me-not blue, and there was a feeling in the air of summer coming.

The three didn't bother to acknowledge him seeing as Ron was constantly complaining about the amount they were being asked to remember. However when he spoke next all three of them did look up.

"Hagrid! What are you doing in the library?"

Hagrid shuffled into view, hiding something behind his back. He looked very out of place in his moleskin overcoat.

"Jus' lookin'," he said, in a shifty voice that got their interest at once. "An' what're you lot up ter?" He looked suddenly suspicious. "Yer not still lookin' fer Nicolas Flamel, are yeh?"

"Oh, we found out who he is ages ago," said Ron impressively. " _And_ we know what that dog's guarding, it's a Philosopher's St —"

" _Shhhh_!" Hagrid looked around quickly to see if anyone was listening. "Don' go shoutin' about it, what's the matter with yeh?"

"There are a few things we wanted to ask you, as a matter of fact," said Harry, "about what's guarding the Stone apart from Fluffy —"

"SHHHH!" said Hagrid again. "Listen — come an' see me later, I'm not promisin' I'll tell yeh anythin', mind, but don' go rabbitin' about it in here, students aren' s'pposed ter know. They'll think I've told yeh —"

"See you later, then," said Harry.

"He kinda did tell us though…" Skylar muttered, thinking.

"What was he hiding behind his back?" said Hermione thoughtfully.

"Do you think it had anything to do with the Stone?"

"Doubt it." Skylar muttered

"I'm going to see what section he was in," said Ron, who'd had enough of working. He came back a minute later with a pile of books in his arms and slammed them down on the table.

"Dragons!" he whispered. "Hagrid was looking up stuff about dragons! Look at these: Dragon Species of Great Britain and Ireland; From Egg to Inferno, A Dragon Keeper's Guide."

"Hagrid's always wanted a dragon, he told me so the first time I ever met him," said Harry.

"Why would you want a dragon?" Skylar questioned with a sigh.

"But it's against our laws," said Ron. "Dragon breeding was outlawed by the Warlocks' Convention of 1709, everyone knows that. Its hard to stop Muggles from noticing us if we're keeping dragons in the back garden — anyway, you can't tame dragons, it's dangerous. You should see the burns Charlie's got off wild ones in Romania."

"But there aren't wild dragons in _Britain_?" said Harry.

"Of course there are," said Ron. "Common Welsh Green and Hebridean Blacks. The Ministry of Magic has a job hushing them up, I can tell you. Our kind have to keep putting spells on Muggles who've spotted them, to make them forget."

"So what on earth's Hagrid up to?" said Hermione.

"I don't think we'll like the answer to that question…" Skylar said looking unsure.

* * *

When they knocked on the door of the gamekeeper's hut an hour later, they were surprised to see that all the curtains were closed. Hagrid called "Who is it?" before he let them in, and then shut the door quickly behind them.

It was stifling hot inside. Even though it was such a warm day, there was a blazing fire in the grate. Hagrid made them tea and offered them stoat sandwiches, which they refused.

"So — yeh wanted to ask me somethin'?"

"Yes," said Harry. There was no point beating around the bush. "We were wondering if you could tell us what's guarding the Philosopher's Stone apart from Fluffy."

Hagrid frowned at him.

"O' course I can't," he said. "Number one, I don' know meself. Number two, yeh know too much already, so I wouldn' tell yeh if I could. That Stone's here fer a good reason. It was almost stolen outta Gringotts — I s'ppose yeh've worked that out an' all? Beats me how yeh even know abou' Fluffy."

The four shared a look, Skylar raising an eyebrow at the three. It was them who ran into the forbidden corridor after all.

"Oh, come on, Hagrid, you might not want to tell us, but you _do_ know, you know everything that goes on round here," said Hermione in a warm, flattering voice. Hagrid's beard twitched and they could tell he was smiling. "We only wondered who had _done_ the guarding, really." Hermione went on. "We wondered who Dumbledore had trusted enough to help him, apart from you."

Hagrid's chest swelled at these last words. Harry and Ron beamed at Hermione as Skylar tried to stop herself from snickering.

"Well, I don' s'pose it could hurt ter tell yeh that… let's see… he borrowed Fluffy from me… then some o' the teachers did enchantments… Professor Sprout — Professor Flitwick — Professor McGonagall —" he ticked them off on his fingers, "Professor Quirrell — an' Dumbledore himself did somethin', o' course. Hang on, I've forgotten someone. Oh yeah, Professor Snape."

" _Snape_?"

"Yeah — yer not still on abou' that, are yeh? Look, Snape helped _protect_ the Stone, he's not about ter steal it."

"That could be a perfect cover though." Skylar said shrugging. But did pose a slight worry, if Snape had been in on protecting the Stone, it must have been easy to find out how the other teachers had guarded it. He probably knew everything — except, it seemed, Quirrell's spell and how to get past Fluffy.

"You're the only one who knows how to get past Fluffy, aren't you, Hagrid?" said Harry anxiously. "And you wouldn't tell anyone, would you? Not even one of the teachers?"

"Not a soul knows except me an' Dumbledore," said Hagrid proudly.

"Well, that's something," Harry muttered to the others. "Hagrid, can we have a window open? I'm boiling."

"Can't, Harry, sorry," said Hagrid. The giant man glanced at the fire and Harry was first to follow his gaze.

"Hagrid — what's _that_?"

In the very heart of the fire, underneath the kettle, was a huge, black egg.

"Ah," said Hagrid, fiddling nervously with his beard, "That's — er…"

"Gosh!" Skylar said as she stared at it.

"Where did you get it, Hagrid?" said Ron, crouching over the fire to get a closer look at the egg. "It must've cost you a fortune."

"Won it," said Hagrid. "Las' night. I was down in the village havin' a few drinks an' got into a game o' cards with a stranger. Think he was quite glad ter get rid of it, ter be honest."

"But what are you going to do with it when it's hatched?" said Hermione.

"Well, I've bin doin' some readin'," said Hagrid, pulling a large book from under his pillow. "Got this outta the library — _Dragon Breeding for Pleasure and Profit_ — it's a bit outta date, o' course, but it's all in here. Keep the egg in the fire, 'cause their mothers breathe on 'em, see, an' when it hatches, feed it on a bucket o' brandy mixed with chicken blood every half hour. An' see here — how ter recognise diff'rent eggs — what I got there's a Norwegian Ridgeback. They're rare, them."

He looked very pleased with himself, but Hermione didn't while Skylar was gapping at him.

"Hagrid, you live in a _wooden house,_ " Hermione said.

But Hagrid wasn't listening. He was humming merrily as he stoked the fire.

So now they had something else to worry about: what might happen to Hagrid if anyone found out he was hiding an illegal dragon in his hut.

"Wonder what it's like to have a peaceful life," Ron sighed.

* * *

 _Dear Leon,_

 _Hope all is well and boring for you. Wish I could say the same. Hermione's gone mad about exams, making study schedules and believing she should have started studying nine months before hand (Slight exaggeration but you get the point)._

 _We finally discovered what the parcel is that's being guarded by Hagrid's three headed dog, it's a Philosopher's stone. And if you don't know what that is it's a stone that makes metal into gold and can produce an elixir of life, making a drinker immortal… as long as you keep drinking it of course. Nicholas Flamel's name was on the back of Dumbledore's chocolate frog card._

 _Things are quiet apart from that… besides the fact that Hagrid has acquired an illegal dragon egg and is hatching it in his hut._

 _Hope you're going well!_

 _Your sister,_

 _Skylar._

* * *

Evening after evening they struggled through all the extra homework they were getting. Hermione had now started making study schedules for Skylar, Harry and Ron, too, which was driving the boys nuts.

Then, one breakfast time, Hedwig brought Harry another note from Hagrid. He had written only two words: _It_ _'_ _s hatching._

Ron wanted to skip Herbology and go straight down to the hut. Hermione wouldn't hear of it.

"Hermione, how many times in our lives are we going to see a dragon hatching?"

"We've got lessons, we'll get into trouble, and that's nothing to what Hagrid's going to be in when someone finds out what he's doing —"

"Shut up!" Harry whispered as Skylar nudged Hermione beside her.

Malfoy was only a few feet away and he had stopped dead to listen.

"Did you want something?" Skylar wondered looking at him. He glanced at her before continuing off.

Ron and Hermione argued all the way to Herbology and in the end, Hermione agreed to run down to Hagrid's with the other three during morning break. When the bell sounded from the castle at the end of their lesson, the three of them dropped their trowels at once and hurried through the grounds to the edge of the forest. Hagrid greeted them, looking flushed and excited.

"It's nearly out." He ushered them inside.

The egg was lying on the table. There were deep cracks in it. Something was moving inside; a funny clicking noise was coming from it.

They all drew their chairs up to the table and watched with bated breath. All at once there was a scraping noise and the egg split open. The baby dragon flopped onto the table. It wasn't exactly pretty, its spiny wings were huge compared to its skinny jet body, it had a long snout with wide nostrils, the stubs of horns and bulging, orange eyes.

It sneezed. A couple of sparks flew out of its snout.

"Isn't he _beautiful_?" Hagrid murmured. He reached out a hand to stroke the dragon's head. It snapped at his fingers, showing pointed fangs.

"Bless him, look, he knows his mommy!" said Hagrid.

"Or food." Skylar mumbled earring a snicker from Ron. She nudged him for it.

"Hagrid," said Hermione, "how fast do Norwegian Ridgebacks grow, exactly?"

Hagrid was about to answer when the colour suddenly drained from his face — he leapt to his feet and ran to the window.

"What's the matter?"

"Someone was lookin' through the gap in the curtains — it's a kid — he's runnin' back up ter the school."

Harry bolted to the door and looked out.

"It's Malfoy." He said to the others, watching him looked horrorstruck.

Malfoy had seen the dragon.


	32. Chapter 32

Chapter 32:

 _Dear Leon,_

 _Things have escalated, Hagrid's illegal Norwegian Ridgeback baby dragon hatched and Malfoy saw it._

 _What more could go wrong?_

 _Your sister,_

 _Skylar._

 _P.S. Probably don't tell mum and dad about this._

* * *

Malfoy was swaggering around the school with a smile lurking on his face over the next week. He'd look at Skylar with smugness as if he had something over her and the girl would raise an eyebrow in return. She didn't react like the other's did, Harry, Ron and Hermione were very nervous by his expression.

Because of Malfoy and his knowledge of Hagrid's baby dragon, the four spent most of their free time in Hagrid's darkened hut, trying to reason with him.

"Just let him go," Harry urged. "Set him free."

"I can't," said Hagrid. "He's too little. He'd die."

Of course the dragon wasn't nearly as small as it had been when it first hatched, it had grown three times in length in just a week. Smoke kept furling out of its nostrils. Hagrid hadn't been doing his gamekeeping duties because the dragon was keeping him so busy. There were empty brandy bottles and chicken feathers all over the floor.

"I've decided to call him Norbert," said Hagrid, looking at the dragon with misty eyes. "He really knows me now, watch. Norbert! Norbert! Where's Mommy?"

"He's lost his marbles," Ron muttered in Harry's ear.

"Hagrid," said Harry loudly, "give it two weeks and Norbert's going to be as long as your house. Malfoy could go to Dumbledore at any moment."

Hagrid bit his lip.

"I — I know I can't keep him forever, but I can't jus' dump him, can't."

"So don't, send him to someone else." Skylar said obviously

"Sky, who do you know that's going to take a dragon?" Hermione asked skeptically.

Harry suddenly turned to Ron.

"Charlie," he said.

"You're losing it, too," said Ron. "I'm Ron, remember?" Skylar laughed.

"No — Charlie — your brother, Charlie. In Romania. Studying dragons. We could send Norbert to him. Charlie can take care of him and then put him back in the wild!"

"Brilliant!" said Ron.

"He'll be with his own kind and he'll be properly looked after!" Skylar grinned looking at Hagrid.

"How about it, Hagrid?" Ron asked

And in the end, Hagrid agreed that they could send an owl to Charlie to ask him.

They waited a week for a reply from Charlie, taking it in turns to help Hagrid with his baby dragon, which had moved on from chicken blood and brandy to dead rats.

Skylar, Harry and Hermione were in the common room, the only ones to occupy it as the clock on the wall had just chimed midnight. The portrait hole entrance to the Gryffindor common room burst open as it did and the three looked up to see Ron appear out of nowhere as he pulled off Harry's Invisibility Cloak. It had been his turn to help feed Norbert.

"It bit me!" he said, showing them his hand, which was wrapped in a bloody handkerchief. "I'm not going to be able to hold a quill for a week. I tell you, that dragon's the most horrible animal I've ever met, but the way Hagrid goes on about it, you'd think it was a fluffy little bunny rabbit. When it bit me he told me off for frightening it. And when I left, he was singing it a lullaby."

"Uh, I don't know about you Ron, but what I've mostly read about dragons, their bites are not simple ones…" Skylar said looking at his hand unsurely

"I thought you didn't retain information you read." Ron grumbled

"Some things I remember thanks." Skylar said raising an eyebrow "Like that while looking after a baby dragon, you should stay away from it's fangs."

There was a tap on the dark window, drawing their attentions and allowing Ron to not answer the auburn haired girl.

There was a white figure on the other side, clearly an owl.

"Its Hedwig!" said Harry, hurrying to let her in. "She'll have Charlie's answer!"

Harry took the letter from his owl and Hermione, Ron and he put their heads together while Skylar looked over Harry's cranium, the four reading the note.

 _Dear Ron,_

 _How are you? Thanks for the letter —_ _I'_ _d be glad to take the Norwegian Ridgeback, but it won_ _'_ _t be easy getting him here. I think the best thing will be to send him over with some friends of mine who are coming to visit me next week. Trouble is, they mustn_ _'_ _t be seen carrying an illegal dragon._

 _Could you get the Ridgeback up the tallest tower at midnight on Saturday? They can meet you there and take him away while it_ _'_ _s still dark._

 _Send me an answer as soon as possible._

 _Love, Charlie_

"Move the vicious dragon… through the night time… to the Astronomy tower." Skylar said before she sighed and she looked at the three.

They looked at one another as Skylar bit her lip.

"We've got the Invisibility Cloak," said Harry. "It shouldn't be too difficult — I think the cloak's big enough to cover two of us and Norbert."

Ron and even Hermione agreed without complaint, regardless of the rules and risks involved. Harry looked at Skylar and she released a breath and nodded in agreement. Anything to get rid of Norbert — and Malfoy.

By the next morning, Ron's bitten hand had swollen to twice its usual size.

"I told you." Skylar said looking worried at it, her voice hushed.

Ron didn't know whether it was safe to go to Madam Pomfrey — would she recognise a dragon bite? But by the afternoon he had no choice. The cut had turned a nasty shade of green. It looked as if Norbert's fangs were poisonous.

Skylar, Harry and Hermione rushed up to the hospital wing at the end of the day to find Ron in a terrible state in bed.

"It's not just my hand," he whispered, "although that feels like it's about to fall off. Malfoy told Madam Pomfrey he wanted to borrow one of my books so he could come and have a good laugh at me. He kept threatening to tell her what really bit me — I've told her it was a dog, but I don't think she believes me — I shouldn't have hit him at the Quidditch match, that's why he's doing this."

"He's doing it because he's Draco, Ron. I don't think it would have mattered if you hit him or not, anything to get rid of Hagrid and mess with us." Skylar said glancing at Harry.

Harry and Hermione tried to help her calm Ron down.

"It'll all be over at midnight on Saturday," said Hermione, but this didn't soothe Ron at all. On the contrary, he sat bolt upright and broke into a sweat.

"Midnight on Saturday!" he said in a hoarse voice. "Oh no — oh no — I've just remembered — Charlie's letter was in that book Malfoy took, he's going to know we're getting rid of Norbert."

Harry and Hermione didn't get a chance to answer. Madam Pomfrey came over at that moment and made them leave, saying Ron needed sleep.

"I'll get Ron's book back, at least then we can find out if Draco bothered to even open it. Given he didn't really want it he might not have read the letter." Skylar said

"How are you going to get it back?" Hermione asked

"Well he already knows of the dragon and Ron's hand, it shouldn't be that hard given there's nothing I really have to hide besides the letter." the girl shrugged

"But that's why you even want the book back." Harry said

"Have some faith." Skylar said before she moved off down the hallway.

She moved for the Great Hall for dinner, several other students doing the same as she stood at the door and looked down the Slytherin table. If Draco was in the Slytherin common room she'd unlikely be able to talk to him.

 _Unless I can find Daphne, she'd help me._ Skylar believed.

As it was though her bright blue eyes caught the pale blond hair and she moved down the side of the table towards it. A few people looked at her as she passed them, Slytherins sneering at her.

Crabbe and Goyle were on either side of Draco, to no ones surprise, though Pansy seemed unhappy about it as she couldn't be beside him. She was chatting away with Daphne while glancing at Draco every few seconds.

Skylar stopped behind the boy before leaning towards him.

"Can I have a moment?" he jumped slightly before turning to her. She smiled and his eyes narrowed slightly as Pansy had instantly stopped her conversation with Daphne and Goyle and Crabbe were waiting for instructions.

Draco responded by standing and he lead the way from the table. Skylar followed and they left the Great Hall before moving down the steps towards the dungeons. Draco didn't take her all the way to the Slytherin Common room which Skylar knew was down here somewhere.

He opened a door and Skylar walked past him before he closed the door and turned to her smugly.

"What? Gonna ask me not to turn in your oaf of a friend?" he said

"Would you do it even if I did ask?" she returned monotony, knowing the answer.

Draco stared at her.

"I'm here to get Ron's book back for him." she said "Seeing as you didn't actually need it."

"Why's it matter?" Draco questioned her

"Homework?" she as if it was obvious. "And he can't exactly come and get it."

"That's his own fault. Should've just turned him in."

"Well maybe we should have turned you in for trying to duel people." Skylar returned

"Why didn't you?"

"Why haven't you told Dumbledore about the dragon?" she returned. "Or Madam Pomfrey for that matter?"

He pursed his lips as he looked at her and she looked expectant but he said nothing.

"I just want the book."

"Sure you don't want it because of what's inside it?" he said gaining back his sneer and smirk.

"Pretty sure the information is what's inside so, yeah, that would be why I want it." she said exasperatedly.

"Or you want the letter inside?"

Skylar had to stop herself from looking frustrated or from groaning.

"Letter?" she responded

"You idiots are going to get rid of the dragon."

"Well I'd hope so, we don't need a dragon around here."

Draco looked annoyed. "You're taking it to the astronomy tower."

"The tower that's forbidden to students without a teacher?" Skylar nodded

"Not the first time you've broken rules."

"I don't think I've broken any rules like that." she shook her head

"Fine, not the first time Potter and your friends have."

"That I wont argue with." she confessed

"Well good luck getting rid of it without being caught." he smirked

"I don't understand the satisfaction you get from this." Skylar said "Why do you want to be such a dibberdobber? You've gotten more petty in the last few months."

Draco's lip curled.

"Why do you care what we do?"

"You think I'm going to lie down and let him treat me like that?" he said, his voice shaking slightly

"Draco, Harry wouldn't do anything if you just left him alone." Skylar believed

"Except no body does leave him alone. Saint Potter! Just for having a scar on his head. Even gets special permission for everything!"

"He's been punished just as any other student would have." Skylar said her forehead furrowing. She eyed him and he diverted his grey eyes.

"You're just upset he denied your friendship on the train." she said

"Stay out of my head!"

"Don't shout it at me then." she snapped back "That's the reason you don't like him, cause he rejected you."

He sneered but didn't have a come back.

"If you weren't so prideful you could have actually have been his friend." Skylar said

"Who would want to be friends with a scar head?"

"You did, when you offered him your hand." she said obviously. "But you insulted his choices, kinda like people do to you when they question why you're friends with Crabbe and Goyle. Friends might be a bit of a strong word given they're hardly even that."

Draco crossed his arms stubbornly and Skylar rolled her eyes.

"Look can I just have the book?" she said holding her hand out.

Draco looked her over before he turned for the door. Skylar blinked looking annoyed before she hurried after him. Draco moved back down the hallway and to the entrance hall before moving back into the Great Hall. Skylar watched him as he walked down the Slytherin table, crouched for a moment and then came back towards her.

Her forehead furrowed before he held up the book in his hand towards her. Skylar looked at it slightly surprised for a moment before she took it. She smiled at him.

"Thanks." and she left it at that, moving over to the Gryffindor table. She put the book down beside Hermione and Harry as she sat with them and they looked at it surprised.

"You got it!" Harry said

"Yeah but Draco already read the letter." she admitted before she flicked through the textbook. Harry and Hermione shared a worried and annoyed look.

"How do you know?" Harry asked

"He talked to me about it." she muttered before she paused turning the pages. Whether it was lucky or not, she was unsure of, but the letter from Charlie was still between the pages.

"Guess he can't show it to anyone." Hermione sighed as she looked at it, taking the letter and putting it in her bag.

"What did Hagrid say?" Skylar asked as she closed the book, shoving it into her bag.

"Seemed upset, only Norbert bit his boot so dunno really." Harry said.

The three turned to Hagrid's empty seat at the Staff table before all sharing a look.

Saturday could not come quick enough.


	33. Chapter 33

Chapter 33:

Ron was still in the hospital wing by Saturday for his hand which was still healing. He was put out that he'd let Malfoy read Charlie's note.

"Well there's nothing we can do about it now." Skylar shrugged

"And if we do it right it wont matter, what with the cloak." Harry said

"Don't fret Ron. It was gonna be risky anyway." Skylar nodded

He still didn't look all too happy about it.

"The worst that can happen is we get caught and get detention. Compare that to a dragon braking Hagrid's hut and hurting more than just you two, I think it's worth it." Skylar said and Harry and Hermione nodded in agreement.

Ron nodded too.

"I can't wait for the bloody thing to be gone."

"Me too." they all chorused, earning a grin.

And so, Hermione, Harry and Skylar had to deal with moving Norbert from Hagrid's hut on the edge of the forbidden forest, to the tallest tower in the castle, by themselves.

The common room emptied as they waited for the time to be right. With Charlie's friends coming at midnight they had to get their timing right in moving the dragon. The three sat doing homework as many people began to go to bed while the fire in the grate was getting slowly lower.

Unfortunately the common room wasn't completely empty when the three rose from their seats but they moved silently, air of nervousness between them as they headed for the portrait hole to begin.

"Sky." the girl stopped and so did Hermione and Harry. The three turned to see Nick approaching them with a raised eyebrow. He'd been in one of the corners doing some work and had unfortunately noticed the three. Skylar had suggested they put the cloak on first when going to the portrait hole, but unfortunately the Dormitory held people and so did the common room. Someone would have seen them vanish.

Nick checked his watch as he approached them and looked at the three, Harry and Hermione sharing a glance behind Skylar.

"Hey Nick, what's up?" she asked casually

"Where are you going?" he questioned

"Hagrid's."

"At this time?"

"So?"

"It's past curfew."

"And since when do you care about following rules?" she asked confused. Nick looked at her suspiciously and then at Harry and Hermione, Harry of who was hiding the invisibility cloak.

He looked at Harry and Skylar groaned, knowing what he was up to.

"Nick!"

The older boy however had grabbed his sister and pushed past the other two and out into the corridor. Harry and Hermione hurried after them as Skylar looked irritated.

"A dragon? Seriously?" he asked. He looked somewhere between excited and surprised.

"Yes seriously." she said annoyed as Harry and Hermione shared a look.

"And you're getting rid of it?"

"Well we can't exactly leave it there. You should see what it did to Ron's hand." Skylar admitted

"Is that why he's in the hospital wing?" she nodded in response. "Well do you need a hand?"

The three looked surprised.

"You wanna help?" Harry asked

"Sure. Four people to carry the crate would be easier than three." he shrugged

Harry blinked as to Nick's knowledge. "He can do your mind thing too right?" he asked Skylar.

"Yeah." she nodded and Nick grinned.

"We're running out of time." Hermione whispered, her voice rising a few octaves.

"If you're gonna come brother." Skylar said and she shot Harry a look. He pursed his lips.

"He can read your mind Harry, he'll find out anyway." she said obviously and he rolled his eyes before pulling his invisibility cloak out, having not wanting to show Nick.

Skylar pulled Nick over to Harry as Hermione huddled up as well. Nick watched curiously as Harry threw the cloak over them all.

"Wait is this your dad's invisibility cloak?" Nick asked grinning

"What?" Harry asked

"Yes." Skylar added

"God dad told me about all sorts of shit he and your dad did with this thing." Nick said as they began to creep down the corridors.

"Someone gave it to Harry for Christmas." Skylar confessed

"Who?" Nick whispered but the girl only shrugged.

Nick had caused a slight delay in getting to Hagrid's but it was made worse when they got to the entrance hall and Peeves was playing tennis against the wall.

"I got it." Nick whispered and he pulled out his wand. " _Wingardium Leviosa_!" the tennis ball went completely off course with a wave of his wand and Peeves dived off after it cursing words that should not have been spoken within a school.

"Quick." Skylar whispered and they hurried to the door and out into the grounds.

It was very dark but none of them lit a wand. Clouds covered the sky and blocked out the stars as they hurried to the hut on the edge of the forest.

Hagrid opened the door when they knocked and the four hurried in before Harry removed the cloak.

"Ready Hagrid?" Skylar asked

"Hey Hagrid."

"Nick." Hagrid nodded before he moved over to a crate in which he'd already packed Norbert into. It was rather large and Skylar was glad Nick had wanted to come and join them.

"He's got lots o' rats an' some brandy fer the journey," said Hagrid in a muffled voice. "An' I've packed his teddy bear in case he gets lonely."

From inside the crate came ripping noises that sounded as though the teddy was having his head torn off. Skylar and Nick shared a look, trying not to grin, then turned back to the large man in an effort to keep their faces straight.

"Bye-bye, Norbert!" Hagrid sobbed, as Harry and Hermione covered the crate with the Invisibility Cloak. The four of them moved to a corner of the crate each and then stepped underneath the cloak themselves. "Mommy will never forget you!"

They couldn't move too fast and the four of them heaved the crate from the hut, across the grounds back to the castle. How they managed it none of them were sure.

Midnight ticked nearer as they heaved Norbert up the marble staircase in the entrance hall and along the dark corridors. Up another staircase, then another. Nick directed them through several shortcuts, having known the castle back to front, but they were still running behind schedule as they moved for the tower.

"Why are we going to the Astronomy tower of all places?" Nick panted quietly

"Charlie Weasley's got some friends coming to pick the dragon up." Skylar responded

"Why from the tallest tower?"

"They can't be seen with an illegal dragon." his sister said obviously.

"Wouldn't it have been better for Hagrid to take this up?" Nick said

"He'd have never fit under the cloak and it'd have been a bit too obvious otherwise, him and a large crate." Nick didn't argue with that as they heaved along another corridor.

"Nearly there!" Harry panted as they reached the corridor beneath the tallest tower.

Then a sudden movement ahead of them made them almost drop the crate. Nick and Skylar shared a worried look before they yanked lightly on the crate and on Harry and Hermione in turn. Despite the fact that they were invisible thanks to the cloak, they shrank into the shadows and out of the way. The four stared at the dark outlines of two people grappling with each other ten feet away. A lamp flared and showed them the faces.

Professor McGonagall, in a tartan bathrobe and a hair net, had Malfoy by the ear.

"Detention!" she shouted. "And twenty points from Slytherin! Wandering around in the middle of the night, how _dare_ you —"

"You don't understand, Professor. Harry Potter's coming — he's got a dragon!"

"What utter rubbish! How dare you tell such lies! Come on — I shall see Professor Snape about you, Malfoy!"

She dragged Malfoy past them four and the crate, Skylar was staring wide-eyed as Nick was full on grinning. The four watched them leave before sharing a look, Hermione and Harry looking as gleeful as Nick before they continued their parade.

The steep spiral staircase up to the top of the tower seemed the easiest thing in the world after that. They put the crate down at the top and with the night air around them, Harry yanked on his cloak to remove it. All of them took several breaths, glad to be able to breathe properly again. Skylar opened and closed her hands, shaking them from having held the crate while Hermione did a sort of jig.

"Malfoy's got detention! I could sing!"

"Don't," Harry advised her.

Chuckling about Malfoy, they waited, Norbert thrashing about in his crate.

Nick was looking around the tower and was first to notice the brooms approaching about ten minutes later. There were four of Charlie's friends, each on their own broomstick which came swooping down out of the darkness.

Charlie's friends were a cheery lot. They showed Harry, Skylar, Nick and Hermione the harness they'd rigged up, so they could suspend Norbert between them. They all helped buckle Norbert safely into it and then the three first years and Nick shook hands with the others and thanked them very much.

With a kick of the ground the brooms took off with the crate between them and the four watched. At last, Norbert was going… going… _gone._

Skylar and Nick shared a high five before the four of them slipped back down the spiral staircase. But the lightness of Norbert being gone and Malfoy having gotten detention ended when they reached the bottom. As they stepped into the corridor, Filch's face loomed suddenly out of the darkness.

"Well, well, well," he whispered, "we _are_ in trouble."

They'd left the Invisibility Cloak on top of the tower.

Nick huffed while Harry, Hermione and Skylar all looked scared to some extent. How could they have forgotten the cloak?

Filch looked excited at having caught them doing wrong and he lead the four of them away and to Professor McGonagall's study on the first floor. He sat them down and then left to find the professor. Skylar didn't think she'd have still been with Snape and Malfoy but maybe the two teachers were arguing, seeing as Snape favoured Malfoy and he was trying to get Harry in trouble.

They sat and waited without saying a word to each other. Hermione was trembling while Harry looked around with his forehead furrowed as if trying to think up an excuse. Nick was slumped like he was much too comfortable and Skylar was tapping her knee with her finger in waiting.

There was nothing she could think to say to explain their actions, they'd been in the tallest Astronomy Tower, which was out-of-bounds except for classes and had been creeping around the school in the dead of night. What kind of excuse could be given for that? There was no way they could admit to Norbert and the invisibility cloak, it'd only make things so much worse.

As it turned out, it was going to regardless. When Professor McGonagall appeared, she was leading Neville.

"Harry!" Neville burst out, the moment he saw them. "I was trying to find you to warn you, I heard Malfoy saying he was going to catch you, he said you had a drag —"

Harry shook his head violently to shut Neville up, Skylar closed her eyes, could he have been more obvious? Professor McGonagall had seen him and she looked more likely to breathe fire than Norbert as she towered over the five of them.

"I would never have believed it of any of you. Mr. Filch says you were up in the Astronomy Tower. It's one o'clock in the morning. _Explain yourselves._ "

It was the first time Hermione had ever failed to answer a teacher's question. She was staring at her slippers, as still as a statue. Skylar and Nick shared a fleeting glance and the girl gave her brother a stern look. He was not to go joking about and make things worse.

"Mr Rosenwald?" she demanded. He said nothing. "You're supposed to be setting a good example! I expected more of you!" she scolded before looking at them all again. Harry and Hermione refused to reach her gaze. "I think I've got a good idea of what's been going on," said Professor McGonagall. "It doesn't take a genius to work it out. You fed Draco Malfoy some cock-and-bull story about a dragon, trying to get him out of bed and into trouble. I've already caught him. I suppose you think it's funny that Longbottom here heard the story and believed it, too?"

Neville looked at Harry looking stunned and hurt.

"Neville wasn't supposed to be involved." Skylar said

"A funny prank!" the women snapped back. "I'm disgusted," said Professor McGonagall. "Six students out of bed in one night! I've never heard of such a thing before! You, Miss Granger, I thought you had more sense. Miss Rosenwald, I thought you were above this. As for you, Mr. Potter, I thought Gryffindor meant more to you than this. All five of you will receive detentions — yes, you too, Mr. Longbottom, _nothing_ gives you the right to walk around school at night, especially these days, it's very dangerous — and thirty points will be taken from Gryffindor."

" _Thirty_?" Harry gasped and Skylar nudged him but the damage had already been done.

"Thirty points _each,_ " said Professor McGonagall, breathing heavily through her long, pointed nose.

"Professor — please —"

"You _can_ _'t_ —"

"Don't tell me what I can and can't do, Potter. Now get back to bed, all of you. I've never been more ashamed of Gryffindor students."

A hundred and fifty points lost. That put Gryffindor in last place. In one night, they'd ruined any chance Gryffindor had had for the House Cup.

Skylar almost wondered if getting rid of Norbert had been worth it as they slumped back to the dormitory.

* * *

 _Dear Leon,_

 _We got rid of the dragon, got it sent to Charlie Weasley. But we got caught being out of bed at night and now have detention, Nick too._

 _What's worse is Gryffindor is now last in the running for the house cup._

 _The only good thing is that the dragon's gone._

 _Hope things are better your end._

 _Skylar._


	34. Chapter 34

Chapter 34:

At first, Gryffindors passing the giant hourglasses that recorded the House points the next day thought there'd been a mistake. How could they suddenly have a hundred and fifty points fewer than yesterday? And then the story started to spread: Harry Potter, the famous Harry Potter, their hero of two Quidditch matches, had lost them all those points, him, a couple of other stupid first years and Nick Rosenwald. The latter didn't come as much of a surprise, only that he wasn't accompanied by the Weasley twins. They themselves were disappointed Nick had left them out.

From being one of the most popular and admired people at the school, Harry was suddenly the most hated. Even Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs turned on him, because everyone had been longing to see Slytherin lose the House Cup. People didn't bother to lower their voices as they insulted him while Slytherins would clap when he walked past, whistling and cheering.

"Thanks Potter, we owe you one!"

Only Ron stood by him.

"They'll all forget this in a few weeks. Fred and George have lost loads of points in all the time they've been here, and people still like them."

"They've never lost a hundred and fifty points in one go, though, have they?" said Harry miserably.

"Well — no," Ron admitted.

"Technically Harry, you didn't loose all those points yourself." Skylar reminded him. "I don't think you can take all the blame."

As it was Skylar, Hermione and Neville were suffering as well, not as much as Harry for their names weren't as well known, but people weren't speaking to them either. Skylar was being told she was following in her brother's footsteps and trying to one up him, if only he hadn't been there that night.

"I don't know how you manage this." Skylar muttered to her brother one evening.

"You get over it. And so will they."

"One hundred and fifty points?" Skylar asked.

Nick shrugged.

Hermione had stopped drawing attention to herself in class, keeping her head down and working in silence. She, Harry, Ron and Skylar kept to themselves while studying, exams were approaching after all. They stayed up late into the night, trying to remember the ingredients in complicated potions, learn charms and spells by heart, memorise the dates of magical discoveries and goblin rebellions…

They managed to stay out of trouble and to themselves until a week before the exams. Harry came into the library and told them he'd heard Quirrell whimpering and muttering as though being threatened into doing something. As the four of them were under the impression Snape needed to get past Quirrell's enchantment that guarded the stone, it seemed like bad news.

"Snape's done it, then!" said Ron. "If Quirrell's told him how to break his Anti-Dark Force spell —"

"Held out rather well didn't he." Skylar thought

"There's still Fluffy, though," said Hermione.

"Maybe Snape's found out how to get past him without asking Hagrid," said Ron, looking up at the thousands of books surrounding them. "I bet there's a book somewhere in here telling you how to get past a giant three-headed dog."

"I don't know if three-headed dogs would be popular enough…" Skylar thought as she read through a book looking bored.

"So what do we do, Harry?" Ron asked

The light of adventure was kindling again in Ron's eyes, but Hermione answered before Harry could.

"Go to Dumbledore. That's what we should have done ages ago. If we try anything ourselves we'll be thrown out for sure."

"But we've got no _proof_!" said Harry. "Quirrell's too scared to back us up. Snape's only got to say he doesn't know how the troll got in at Halloween and that he was nowhere near the third floor — who do you think they'll believe, him or us? It's not exactly a secret we hate him, Dumbledore'll think we made it up to get him sacked. Filch wouldn't help us if his life depended on it, he's too friendly with Snape, and the more students get thrown out, the better, he'll think. And don't forget, we're not supposed to know about the Stone or Fluffy. That'll take a lot of explaining."

Hermione looked convinced, but Ron didn't.

"If we just do a bit of poking around —"

"No," said Harry flatly, "we've done enough poking around."

Harry seemed to have taken an oath to not meddle in things that were nothing to do with him after loosing so many points.

"I don't know if we'd be able to do anything anyway." Skylar said to Ron. "What do you expect us to do? We're only first years." she said when he looked ready to argue. Harry pulled a map of Jupiter towards him and started to learn the name of its moons as Ron tried to argue, but Skylar shut him down before he could speak.

"We have exams Ron, we need to pass them to get to next year, let's focus on that." she said pointing at the book before him.

The following morning, notes were delivered to Harry, Skylar, Nick, Hermione, and Neville at the breakfast table. They were all the same:

 _Your detention will take place at eleven o_ _'_ _clock tonight. Meet Mr. Filch in the entrance hall._

 _Professor M. McGonagall_

"Great." Skylar said as Nick glanced from his to her's beside him. "And here I'd been wondering if she'd forgotten."

"McGonagall? Forget?" Nick asked smirking but it changed as he reread the letter. "It can't be anything good if Filch is in charge." he muttered "His punishments are never fun."

This was all that was said about the detentions, not even Hermione complained about missing precious study time.

So at eleven o'clock that night, Nick joined the three and Neville as they said goodbye to Ron and made their way from the common room and to the entrance hall. Filch was already there — and so was Malfoy.

"Forgot you'd be here too." Skylar muttered to him "Happy you tried to get us into trouble?" she questioned. Malfoy said nothing back as Filch limped off.

"Follow me," said Filch, lighting a lamp and leading them outside.

"I bet you'll think twice about breaking a school rule again, won't you, eh?" he said, leering at them. "Oh yes… hard work and pain are the best teachers if you ask me… It's just a pity they let the old punishments die out… hang you by your wrists from the ceiling for a few days, I've got the chains still in my office, keep 'em well oiled in case they're ever needed… Right, off we go, and don't think of running off, now, it'll be worse for you if you do."

They marched off across the dark grounds. Neville kept sniffing. Skylar looked around wondering what their punishment would be, what Filch had planned, that he was allowed to do.

The moon was bright, but clouds scudding across it kept throwing them into darkness. Ahead, were the lighted windows of Hagrid's hut. Then they heard a distant shout.

"Is that you, Filch? Hurry up, I want ter get started."

Skylar felt surprised. They were going with Hagrid? She looked at Nick who was smirking ever so slightly. It seemed he wasn't the only one who felt slightly better.

"I suppose you think you'll be enjoying yourself with that oaf?" he said to Harry who had looked relieved "Well, think again, boy — it's into the forest you're going and I'm much mistaken if you'll all come out in one piece."

Skylar looked shocked and her heart beat increased slightly. Neville let out a little moan, and Malfoy stopped dead in his tracks.

"The forest?" he repeated, and he didn't sound quite as cool as usual. "We can't go in there at night — there's all sorts of things in there — werewolves, I heard."

Neville clutched the sleeve of Harry's robe and made a choking noise.

"That's your problem, isn't it?" said Filch, his voice cracking with glee. "Should've thought of them werewolves before you got in trouble, shouldn't you?"

Hagrid came striding toward them out of the dark, Fang at his heel. He was carrying his large crossbow, and a quiver of arrows hung over his shoulder.

"Abou' time," he said. "I bin waitin' fer half an hour already. All right, Harry, Skylar, Hermione?"

"I shouldn't be too friendly to them, Hagrid," said Filch coldly, "they're here to be punished, after all."

"That's why yer late, is it?" said Hagrid, frowning at Filch. "Bin lecturin' them, eh? 'Snot your place ter do that. Yeh've done yer bit, I'll take over from here."

"I'll be back at dawn," said Filch, "for what's left of them," he added nastily, and he turned and started back toward the castle, his lamp bobbing away in the darkness.

Malfoy now turned to Hagrid.

"I'm not going in that forest," he said, a note of panic in his voice.

"Yeh are if yeh want ter stay at Hogwarts," said Hagrid fiercely. "Yeh've done wrong an' now yeh've got ter pay fer it."

"But this is servant stuff, it's not for students to do. I thought we'd be copying lines or something, if my father knew I was doing this, he'd —"

"— tell yer that's how it is at Hogwarts," Hagrid growled. "Copyin' lines! What good's that ter anyone? Yeh'll do summat useful or yeh'll get out. If yeh think yer father'd rather you were expelled, then get back off ter the castle an' pack. Go on!"

Malfoy didn't move. He looked at Hagrid furiously, but then dropped his gaze. He glanced at Skylar but she had no argument to make. She shrugged and he turned away.

"Right then," said Hagrid, "now, listen carefully, 'cause it's dangerous what we're gonna do tonight, an' I don' want no one takin' risks. Follow me over here a moment."

He led them to the very edge of the forest. Holding his lamp up high, he pointed down a narrow, winding earth track that disappeared into the thick black trees. A light breeze lifted their hair as they looked into the forest.

"Look there," said Hagrid, "see that stuff shinin' on the ground? Silvery stuff? That's unicorn blood. There's a unicorn in there bin hurt badly by summat. This is the second time in a week. I found one dead last Wednesday. We're gonna try an' find the poor thing. We might have ter put it out of its misery."

"And what if whatever hurt the unicorn finds us first?" said Malfoy, unable to keep the fear out of his voice. Skylar took Nick's hand and he gave it a squeeze of reassurance.

"There's nothin' that lives in the forest that'll hurt yeh if yer with me or Fang," said Hagrid. "An' keep ter the path. Right, now, we're gonna split inter two parties an' follow the trail in diff 'rent directions. There's blood all over the place, it must've bin staggerin' around since last night at least."

"I want Fang," said Malfoy quickly, looking at Fang's long teeth.

"All right, but I warn yeh, he's a coward," said Hagrid. "So me, Harry, Skylar an' Hermione'll go one way an' Nick, Draco, Neville, an' Fang'll go the other." Skylar looked at Nick and he pat her head reassuringly. "Now, if any of us finds the unicorn, we'll send up green sparks, right? Get yer wands out an' practice now — that's it — an' if anyone gets in trouble, send up red sparks, an' we'll all come an' find yeh — so, be careful — let's go."

The forest was black and silent. A little way into it they reached a fork in the earth path, and Harry, Hermione, and Hagrid took the left path while Nick, Malfoy, Neville, and Fang took the right.

Skylar watched Nick vanish, leading the way with his wand lit and Draco and Neville followed before she turned to follow Harry and Hermione.

They walked in silence, their eyes on the ground. Every now and then a ray of moonlight through the branches above lit a spot of silver-blue blood on the fallen leaves.

Harry saw that Hagrid looked very worried.

" _Could_ a werewolf be killing the unicorns?" Harry asked.

"Not fast enough," said Hagrid. "It's not easy ter catch a unicorn, they're powerful magic creatures. I never knew one ter be hurt before."

They walked past a mossy tree stump. Running water would be heard, clearly a stream was somewhere close by. There were still spots of unicorn blood here and there along the winding path.

"You all right, Hermione?" Hagrid whispered. "Don' worry, it can't've gone far if it's this badly hurt, an' then we'll be able ter — GET BEHIND THAT TREE!"

Hagrid seized Harry, Skylar and Hermione and hoisted them off the path behind a towering oak. He pulled out an arrow and fitted it into his crossbow, raising it, ready to fire. The three of them listened. Something was slithering over dead leaves nearby: it sounded like a cloak trailing along the ground. Hagrid was squinting up the dark path, but after a few seconds, the sound faded away.

"I knew it," he murmured. "There's summat in here that shouldn' be."

"A werewolf?" Harry suggested.

"That wasn' no werewolf an' it wasn' no unicorn, neither," said Hagrid grimly. "Right, follow me, but careful, now."

Harry, Skylar and Hermione all shared an unsure look before they followed the large man.


	35. Chapter 35

Chapter 35:

They walked more slowly, ears straining for the faintest sound. Suddenly, in a clearing ahead, something definitely moved.

"Who's there?" Hagrid called. "Show yerself — I'm armed!"

And into the clearing came a mix of a man and a horse. A centaur. To the waist, a man, with red hair and beard, but below that was a horse's gleaming chestnut body with a long, reddish tail.

Harry and Hermione's jaws dropped and Skylar chuckled slightly at their faces.

"Oh, it's you, Ronan," said Hagrid in relief. "How are yeh?"

He walked forward and shook the centaur's hand.

"Good evening to you, Hagrid," said Ronan. He had a deep, sorrowful voice. "Were you going to shoot me?"

"Can't be too careful, Ronan," said Hagrid, patting his crossbow. "There's summat bad loose in this forest. This is Harry Potter, Skylar Rosenwald an' Hermione Granger, by the way. Students up at the school. An' this is Ronan, you two. He's a centaur."

"We'd noticed," said Hermione faintly.

"Good evening," said Ronan. "Students, are you? And do you learn much, up at the school?"

"Quite." Skylar nodded.

"Erm —" Harry began

"A bit," said Hermione timidly.

"A bit. Well, that's something." Ronan sighed. He flung back his head and stared at the sky. "Mars is bright tonight."

"Yeah," said Hagrid, glancing up, too. "Listen, I'm glad we've run inter yeh, Ronan, 'cause there's a unicorn bin hurt — you seen anythin'?"

Ronan didn't answer immediately. He stared unblinkingly upward. Skylar glanced up at well, curiously. The centaur sighed again.

"Always the innocent are the first victims," he said. "So it has been for ages past, so it is now."

"Yeah," said Hagrid, "but have yeh seen anythin', Ronan? Anythin' unusual?"

"Mars is bright tonight," Ronan repeated, while Hagrid watched him impatiently. "Unusually bright."

"Yeah, but I was meanin' anythin' unusual a bit nearer home," said Hagrid. "So yeh haven't noticed anythin' strange?"

Yet again, Ronan took a while to answer. At last, he said, "The forest hides many secrets."

A movement in the trees behind Ronan made Hagrid raise his bow again, but it was only a second centaur, black-haired and -bodied and wilder-looking than Ronan.

"Hullo, Bane," said Hagrid. "All right?"

"Good evening, Hagrid, I hope you are well?"

"Well enough. Look, I've jus' bin askin' Ronan, you seen anythin' odd in here lately? There's a unicorn bin injured — would yeh know anythin' about it?"

Bane walked over to stand next to Ronan. He looked skyward.

"Mars is bright tonight," he said simply.

"What does that mean?" Skylar wondered, surprised they continued to answer the question with such an unhelpful phrase. Did Mars hold some symbol as to why there was something in the forest hurting unicorns?

"We've heard," said Hagrid grumpily. "Well, if either of you do see anythin', let me know, won't yeh? We'll be off, then."

Skylar, Harry and Hermione followed him out of the clearing, the two staring over their shoulders at Ronan and Bane until the trees blocked their view.

"Never," said Hagrid irritably, "try an' get a straight answer out of a centaur. Ruddy stargazers. Not interested in anythin' closer'n the moon."

"It was more like Mars being bright was supposed to answer the question. If only we knew what that meant as they do." Skylar said

"Are there many of _them_ in here?" asked Hermione.

"Oh, a fair few… Keep themselves to themselves mostly, but they're good enough about turnin' up if ever I want a word. They're deep, mind, centaurs… they know things… jus' don' let on much."

"D'you think that was a centaur we heard earlier?" said Harry.

"Did that sound like hooves to you? Nah, if yeh ask me, that was what's bin killin' the unicorns — never heard anythin' like it before."

They walked on through the dense, dark trees. Skylar felt the hairs on the back of her neck standing on end, as if there was something behind her. She glanced back once or twice but neither time she saw anything through the darkness. She saw Harry doing the same as he thought they were being watched. She frowned at him unsurely.

They had just passed a bend in the path when Hermione grabbed Hagrid's arm.

"Hagrid! Look! Red sparks, the others are in trouble!" Skylar's blood ran cold.

"Nick…" she whispered

"You two wait here!" Hagrid shouted. "Stay on the path, I'll come back for yeh!"

They heard him crashing away through the undergrowth and stood looking at each other, very scared, until they couldn't hear anything but the rustling of leaves around them.

"You don't think they've been hurt, do you?" whispered Hermione. Skylar bit her lip, worried.

"I don't care if Malfoy has, but if something's got Neville… it's our fault he's here in the first place." He looked at Skylar as she took a few breaths trying to calm down.

"Problem is," she began trying to distract herself. "If something happens to Draco his dad will get involved, and Lucius Malfoy is on the board of Governors for the school. You don't want to know what he does if something happens to his son." Skylar admitted. She was trying to peer through the darkness, trying to find what was happening, trying to see. Her heart pounding in worry and Hermione took her hand to try and comfort her.

"He better be alright." Skylar whispered.

The minutes dragged by. Their ears seemed sharper than usual, picking up the wind and cracking twigs.

At last, a great crunching noise announced Hagrid's return. Nick, Draco, Neville, and Fang were with him. Hagrid was fuming.

"Are you alright?" Skylar asked instantly, moving to her brother and looking at him, trying to see if he was alright.

"Fine." he muttered turning to Malfoy. "He spooked Neville." Skylar turned from Nick to Neville and then to Draco.

"Seriously?" she asked her voice getting harsher. "That's all?" Draco turned his gaze from her.

"We'll be lucky ter catch anythin' now, with the racket you two were makin'. Right, we're changin' groups — Neville, you stay with me, Skylar an' Hermione, Harry, you go with Fang, Nick an' this idiot. I'm sorry," Hagrid added in a whisper to Harry, "but he'll have a harder time frightenin' you, an' we've gotta get this done."

Skylar shared a look with Nick and he rolled his eyes.

"Want me to go instead?" she asked

"No don't worry." he muttered before he and Harry shared a look and they set off through the trees with Malfoy and Fang.

"Think they'll be alright?" Hermione asked

"I don't know." Skylar mumbled as Neville clung to Hermione's arm and they began to follow Hagrid again.

"I know we need to be punished but I think sending us into the forbidden forest were unicorns, of all things, are being slaughtered is a bit dangerous." Skylar whispered.

Neville whimpered.

"Why would McGonagall do it then?" Hermione whispered

"Because we disappointed her so much? I don't know. But this seems like something Snape might do." Skylar mumbled.

They watched the shining blood in the light of Hagrid's lamp, his Crossbow ready as they listened through the forest. Skylar glanced around here and there but there was only emptiness.

They walked for about another half an hour, mostly in silence. Neville clung to Hermione who allowed him too as she stuck close to Hagrid. Skylar moved after them, glancing around all the time as they all listened for unusual noises, for perhaps the slithering from earlier that had sounded. All the while she wondered what Nick, Harry and Draco were doing, had they found anything?

In that moment there was a sound that echoed through the trees, distant and yet nearer than expected. It was a cry, no a scream. Neville jumped about a mile into the air and Hermione was shaking as they look around the trees.

A moment later red sparks flew up into the air and with one frightened look Hermione and Skylar started running through the trees. Hagrid bundled off after them as barking was heard in the distance from Fang.

Skylar kept her eyes on where the sparks had come from before another set rose up closer towards them, they were moving.

Within the next moment voices sounded through the trees and Skylar noticed her brother's and Harry's instantly. Hermione, just behind her, noticed the same. They broke through the trees down the path to see both boys on the back of a palomino centaur, his eyes bright blue.

"Harry! Harry, are you all right?" Hermione called. Hagrid was puffing along behind her.

"I'm fine," said Harry. "The unicorns dead, Hagrid, it's in that clearing back there."

"Nick, what happened? Are you alright?" Nick was looking rather pale as he jumped down from the centaur's back and Skylar looked at him before turning to Harry.

"This is where I leave you," Firenze murmured as Hagrid hurried off to examine the unicorn. "You are safe now."

Harry slid off his back.

"Good luck, Harry Potter," said Firenze. "The planets have been read wrongly before now, even by centaurs. I hope this is one of those times."

He turned and cantered back into the depths of the forest, leaving Harry shivering behind him.

"What happened?" Skylar asked instantly. She looked around as Neville had joined them.

"Where's Draco?" she questioned.

"He ran off." Harry confessed

"Screaming." Nick added.

Skylar looked around the trees before she heard a bark and then Hagrid came through the trees. He had Draco and Fang with him, the boy of which looked very pale, almost grey. He was looking around frantically. He looked at Skylar who looked him over, surprised by how scared he looked.

"Come on, yeh can go back now." Hagrid said and with a look at them all he and Fang began to lead the way through the trees.

Skylar didn't release Nick's hands and Hermione was rubbing Harry's arm comfortingly. Neville was sticking to Hagrid and Malfoy was making sure he wasn't falling behind. Skylar glanced at him close behind her.

"You alright?" she asked and he looked at her. He brought his sneer back, weakly, and scoffed but continued to glance around in worry.

Skylar didn't push as the trees began to thin out finally. Within a next few moments they would see the grounds of Hogwarts and finally the large castle came into view.

As it was before dawn, Filch wasn't back to collect them and so Hagrid walked them up to the castle and to the entrance hall. Draco vanished instantly towards the dungeons while the five Gryffindors thanked Hagrid and then proceeded for the seventh floor and the Gryffindor common room.

The common room was empty besides one person when they arrived. Ron had fallen asleep in the dark common room, waiting for them to return.

"Harry, what happened?" Skylar asked again but the boy walked over to Ron as Neville left without a word for the dormitory. Ron shouted something about Quidditch fouls when Harry roughly shook him awake.

"It was him." Harry said

"What?" Hermione and Skylar asked as Ron rubbed his eyes.

"There was a person." Nick said "Drinking the unicorn's blood." Hermione and Skylar looked horrified and Ron's mouth dropped open. "That centaur, Firenze, he said it was You-Know-Who."

"What?" the two girls repeated.

"Voldemort, he's drinking unicorn blood before he gets the Elixir of life from the stone." Harry said.

"What stone?" Nick asked

"It's the thing Fluffy is guarding." Skylar told him "The thing Flamel owns."

"A stone?" Nick said

"A philosopher's stone. You know, turns metal into gold and produces the elixir of life." Skylar said and Nick looked surprised

"Yeah I guess a three headed dog wouldn't be extreme to protect something like that."

"Firenze said that drinking unicorn blood curses you. But if you drink the elixir it makes you whole again." Harry said "But we had it slightly wrong." he continued, pacing as he seemed unable to sit down. "Snape wants the Stone for Voldemort… and Voldemort's waiting in the forest… and all this time we thought Snape just wanted to get rich…"

Skylar and Nick shared a scared look. The idea of the darkest wizard of the age was hiding in the forest on the edge of the grounds of their school was terrifying.

"Stop saying the name!" said Ron in a terrified whisper, as if he thought Voldemort could hear them. This news had removed any sleepiness from his system.

Harry wasn't listening.

"Firenze saved me, but he shouldn't have done so… Bane was furious… he was talking about interfering with what the planets say is going to happen… They must show that Voldemort's coming back… Bane thinks Firenze should have let Voldemort kill me… I suppose that's written in the stars as well."

" _Will you stop saying the name_!" Ron hissed.

"So all I've got to wait for now is Snape to steal the Stone," Harry went on feverishly, "then Voldemort will be able to come and finish me off… Well, I suppose Bane'll be happy."

Hermione seemed the only one able to speak from all of this, though she looked very frightened.

"Harry, everyone says Dumbledore's the only one You-Know-Who was ever afraid of. With Dumbledore around, You-Know-Who won't touch you. Anyway, who says the centaurs are right? It sounds like fortune-telling to me, and Professor McGonagall says that's a very imprecise branch of magic."

"Some fortune-telling is real, but I don't think it's something that can really be taught like they try here." Skylar said

"Bit of a joke subject really." Nick nodded

"Prophecies can be made dad said, but it doesn't mean they always come true, it all depends on certain acts." Skylar said. She looked at Harry. "Centaurs as Hagrid said though don't give straight answers, I wouldn't put much by their meaning. Who knows what Mars being bright means."

They were up the rest of the night, speaking over what had happened and interpreting centaurs beliefs. They didn't go to bed until the sky began to lighten, their throats sore from all the talking.

Skylar wasn't feeling much better or less worried even as she did lie down in her bed.


	36. Chapter 36

Chapter 36:

Exams were upon them and as was summer. It was sweltering hot, especially in the large classroom where they did their written papers. They had been given special, new quills for the exams, which had been bewitched with an Anti-Cheating spell.

They had practical exams as well. Professor Flitwick called them one by one into his class to see if they could make a pineapple tap-dance across a desk. Professor McGonagall watched them turn a mouse into a snuffbox — points were given for how pretty the snuffbox was, but taken away if it had whiskers. Snape made them all nervous, breathing down their necks while they tried to remember how to make a Forgetfulness potion.

Skylar was bored through her theoretical exams, sitting with her head in the palm of her hand as she wrote, trying to remember facts and outcomes. Her practicals she was much happier with and enjoyed much more. She wasn't sure how Harry got through his given he apparently wasn't sleeping well according to Neville. Skylar however knew it wasn't exams that were keeping him awake.

"Do you want to talk about it?" she asked as they were on their way back to the common room.

"About what?" he asked

"Your nightmares." she said frowning slightly.

"You gotta learn to leave people's heads alone." Harry muttered

"I can't, it's part of the gift. Unlike most Legilimens I don't need eye contact." she said "I did ask if you wanted to talk about it rather than just voice them."

Harry was having nightmares with You-Know-Who, drinking blood like he'd seen in the forest. Thanks to her gift Skylar had seen the memory from the forest, Nick had seen it and Harry it seemed couldn't get it out of his mind.

"I don't blame you for having nightmares…" she muttered "That's horrifying."

"You don't seem worried."

"That You-Know-Who is just beyond those trees?" she asked her voice rising in octaves as she lowered her voice and glanced around.

"What if he gets the stone?" Harry asked

"He has to get past Dumbledore and all the charms put in place before the stone." Skylar reminded him. He looked at her and she nodded.

"You convincing me or…?" he smirked slightly and she looked guilty.

"Maybe." she muttered earning a chuckle from the boy.

Their very last exam was History of Magic. One hour of answering questions about batty old wizards who'd invented self-stirring cauldrons and they'd be free, free for a whole wonderful week until their exam results came out. When the ghost of Professor Binns told them to put down their quills and roll up their parchment, everyone cheered.

Skylar stretched backwards, reaching her arms up and her toes forwards before slumping in her seat with a sigh of relief.

"That was far easier than I thought it would be," said Hermione as they joined the crowds flocking out onto the sunny grounds. "I needn't have learned about the 1637 Werewolf Code of Conduct or the uprising of Elfric the Eager."

Hermione always liked to go through their exam papers afterward, but Ron said this made him feel ill, so they wandered down to the lake and flopped under a tree. The Weasley twins, Nick and Lee Jordan were tickling the tentacles of a giant squid, which was basking in the warm shallows.

"No more studying," Ron sighed happily, stretching out on the grass. "You could look more cheerful, Harry, we've got a week before we find out how badly we've done, there's no need to worry yet."

Harry was rubbing his forehead. Apparently his forehead had been prickling since their detention to the forest.

"I wish I knew what this _means_!" he burst out angrily. "My scar keeps hurting — it's happened before, but never as often as this."

"Go to Madam Pomfrey," Hermione suggested.

"I'm not ill," said Harry.

"Besides how do you fix a a mark like that, there's been no one like Harry before." Skylar reminded them

"I think it's a warning… it means danger's coming…"

Ron couldn't get worked up, it was too hot.

"Harry, relax, Hermione's right, the Stone's safe as long as Dumbledore's around. Anyway, we've never had any proof Snape found out how to get past Fluffy. He nearly had his leg ripped off once, he's not going to try it again in a hurry. And Neville will play Quidditch for England before Hagrid lets Dumbledore down."

Harry nodded but he didn't look any happier. "Something feels off though… I feel like I've forgotten something." he muttered to Hermione as Ron looked ready to doze off.

"That's just the exams. I woke up last night and was halfway through my Transfiguration notes before I remembered we'd done that one." Hermione confessed

"That sounds completely different, more like paranoia." Skylar said and Ron snickered slightly.

Harry turned to the sky not looking any better and within the next moment he had suddenly jumped to his feet.

"Where're you going?" said Ron sleepily.

"I've just thought of something," said Harry. He had turned white. "We've got to go and see Hagrid, now."

He didn't give the three a choice to choose as he started hurrying towards Hagrid's hut. The three hurried after him, scrambling to their feet.

"Why?" panted Hermione, hurrying to keep up.

"Don't you think it's a bit odd," said Harry, scrambling up the grassy slope, "that what Hagrid wants more than anything else is a dragon, and a stranger turns up who just happens to have an egg in his pocket? How many people wander around with dragon eggs if it's against wizard law? Lucky they found Hagrid, don't you think? Why didn't I see it before?"

"What are you talking about?" said Ron, but Harry, sprinting across the grounds toward the forest, didn't answer.

"You think they got the egg for Hagrid specifically?" Skylar asked

"Bride him for the answer!" Harry nodded to her. Hermione, Skylar and Ron all shared a look as they continued after him.

Hagrid was sitting in an armchair outside his house; his trousers and sleeves were rolled up, and he was shelling peas into a large bowl.

"Hullo," he said, smiling. "Finished yer exams? Got time fer a drink?"

"Yes, please," said Ron, but Harry cut him off.

"No, we're in a hurry. Hagrid, I've got to ask you something. You know that night you won Norbert? What did the stranger you were playing cards with look like?"

"Dunno," said Hagrid casually, "he wouldn' take his cloak off."

He saw the four of them look stunned and raised his eyebrows.

"It's not that unusual, yeh get a lot o' funny folk in the Hog's Head — that's one o' the pubs down in the village. Mighta bin a dragon dealer, mightn' he? I never saw his face, he kept his hood up."

Harry sank down next to the bowl of peas.

"What did you talk to him about, Hagrid? Did you mention Hogwarts at all?"

"Mighta come up," said Hagrid, frowning as he tried to remember. "Yeah… he asked what I did, an' I told him I was gamekeeper here… He asked a bit about the sorta creatures I look after… so I told him… an' I said what I'd always really wanted was a dragon… an' then… I can' remember too well, 'cause he kept buyin' me drinks…" Skylar's mouth dropped open and she and Ron shared a look. "Let's see… yeah, then he said he had the dragon egg an' we could play cards fer it if I wanted… but he had ter be sure I could handle it, he didn' want it ter go ter any old home… So I told him, after Fluffy, a dragon would be easy…"

"And did he — did he seem interested in Fluffy?" Harry asked

"Well — yeah — how many three-headed dogs d'yeh meet, even around Hogwarts? So I told him, Fluffy's a piece o' cake if yeh know how to calm him down, jus' play him a bit o' music an' he'll go straight off ter sleep —"

Hagrid suddenly looked horrified.

"I shouldn'ta told yeh that!" he blurted out. "Forget I said it! Hey — where're yeh goin'?"

Harry, Ron, Skylar and Hermione didn't speak to each other at all until they came to a halt in the entrance hall, which seemed very cold and gloomy after the grounds.

"We've got to go to Dumbledore," said Harry. "Hagrid told that stranger how to get past Fluffy, and it was either Snape or Voldemort under that cloak — it must've been easy, once he'd got Hagrid drunk. I just hope Dumbledore believes us. Firenze might back us up if Bane doesn't stop him. Where's Dumbledore's office?"

"It's on the third floor." Skylar said, gaining all three of their attentions as they'd looked around as if hoping for an arrow to point the way. "But you need a password to get in." she said

"Do you know it?" Ron asked

"Maybe but I haven't seen him in a few weeks, he stopped our lessons due to exams approaching."

"We'll just have to —" Harry began, but a voice suddenly rang across the hall.

"What are you three doing inside?"

It was Professor McGonagall, carrying a large pile of books.

"We want to see Professor Dumbledore," said Hermione, rather bravely.

"See Professor Dumbledore?" Professor McGonagall repeated, as though this was a very fishy thing to want to do. "Why?"

"It's sort of secret," Harry said. Skylar, Hermione and Ron all glanced at him as Professor McGonagall's nostrils flared.

"Professor Dumbledore left ten minutes ago," she said coldly. "He received an urgent owl from the Ministry of Magic and flew off for London at once."

"He's _gone_?" said Harry frantically. " _Now_?"

"Professor Dumbledore is a very great wizard, Potter, he has many demands on his time —"

"But this is important."

"Something you have to say is more important than the Ministry of Magic, Potter?"

"Look," said Harry, throwing caution to the winds, "Professor — it's about the Philosopher's Stone —"

Whatever Professor McGonagall had expected, it wasn't that. The books she was carrying tumbled out of her arms, but she didn't pick them up.

"How do you know — ?" she spluttered.

"Professor, I think — I _know_ — that Sn— that someone's going to try and steal the Stone. I've got to talk to Professor Dumbledore."

She eyed him with a mixture of shock and suspicion.

"Professor Dumbledore will be back tomorrow," she said finally. "I don't know how you found out about the Stone, but rest assured, no one can possibly steal it, it's too well protected."

"But Professor —"

"Potter, I know what I'm talking about," she said shortly. She bent down and gathered up the fallen books. "I suggest you all go back outside and enjoy the sunshine."

But they didn't.

"Now what?" Skylar asked "With Dumbledore gone it's the perfect opportunity." she believed looking worried.

"It's tonight," said Harry nodding in agreement. "Snape's going through the trapdoor tonight. He's found out everything he needs, and now he's got Dumbledore out of the way. He sent that note, I bet the Ministry of Magic will get a real shock when Dumbledore turns up."

"But what can we —"

Hermione gasped. Skylar looked up and Harry and Ron wheeled round.

Snape was standing there.

"Good afternoon," he said smoothly.

They stared at him.

"You shouldn't be inside on a day like this," he said, with an odd, twisted smile.

"We were —" Harry began, without any idea what he was going to say.

"You want to be more careful," said Snape. "Hanging around like this, people will think you're up to something. And Gryffindor really can't afford to lose any more points, can it?"

Harry flushed. They turned to go outside, but Snape called them back.

"Be warned, Potter — any more nighttime wanderings and I will personally make sure you are expelled. Good day to you."

He strode off in the direction of the staffroom.

Out on the stone steps, Harry turned to the others.

"Right, here's what we've got to do," he whispered urgently. "One of us has got to keep an eye on Snape — wait outside the staffroom and follow him if he leaves it. Hermione, you'd better do that."

"Why me?"

"Its obvious," said Ron. "You can pretend to be waiting for Professor Flitwick, you know." He put on a high voice, " 'Oh Professor Flitwick, I'm so worried, I think I got question fourteen _b_ wrong…' "

"Oh, shut up," said Hermione

"I'll come with you." Skylar offered and Hermione nodded, agreeing to go and watch out for Snape.

"And we'd better stay outside the third-floor corridor," Harry told Ron. "Come on."

The boys went in one direction and the girls in another.

Hermione and Skylar reached the staff room, standing outside of it. It wasn't about two minutes though before Snape walked out of the room and spied the girls.

"Can I help you?" he said, he looked both suspicious and annoyed having just told them off for hovering in the entrance hall.

The two girls shared a look.

"I'm waiting for Professor Flitwick." Hermione said, as Ron had suggested.

Snape stared at the two of them before he walked back into the staff room.

"Good quick thinking." Skylar mumbled.

Except that Snape walked back out and with him was tiny Professor Flitwick.

"Yes Miss Granger?" he asked cheerfully.

Both girls stared at him as Snape disappeared off down the hallway.

Hermione was stunned into silence for a moment before Skylar nudged her and she instantly began to ramble on about the exam. The auburn haired girl watched as they conversed only half being able to keep up with the conversation.

It wasn't until Hermione thanked Flitwick that Skylar grabbed her hand and yanked her way before more could be said.

"What was that about?" she whispered

"I panicked." Hermione admitted "And we lost Snape."

They headed for the Gryffindor common room to find the two boys there, looking at them as they climbed through the portrait hole.

"Why are you two here?" Skylar asked

"McGonagall caught us at the corridor." Ron muttered "You?"

"We lost him." Skylar admitted to them.

"I'm sorry, Harry!" Hermione wailed. "Snape came out and asked me what I was doing, so I said I was waiting for Flitwick, and Snape went to get him, and I've only just got away, I don't know where Snape went."

"Well, that's it then, isn't it?" Harry said.

The other three stared at him. He was pale and his eyes were glittering.

"I'm going out of here tonight and I'm going to try and get to the Stone first." Skylar blinked but the was the only one not to speak against the idea.

"You're mad!" said Ron.

"You can't!" said Hermione. "After what McGonagall and Snape have said? You'll be expelled!"

"SO WHAT?" Harry shouted, surprising them slightly. "Don't you understand? If Snape gets hold of the Stone, Voldemort's coming back! Haven't you heard what it was like when he was trying to take over? There won't be any Hogwarts to get expelled from! He'll flatten it, or turn it into a school for the Dark Arts! Losing points doesn't matter anymore, can't you see? D'you think he'll leave you and your families alone if Gryffindor wins the House Cup? If I get caught before I can get to the Stone, well, I'll have to go back to the Dursleys and wait for Voldemort to find me there, its only dying a bit later than I would have, because I'm never going over to the Dark Side! I'm going through that trapdoor tonight and nothing you two say is going to stop me! Voldemort killed my parents, remember?"

He glared at them and the three shared a look before Skylar placed a hand on his shoulder.

"We were only worried about you Harry." she said and he took a breath. "This isn't child's play after all."

"You're right, Harry," said Hermione in a small voice.

"I'll use the Invisibility Cloak," said Harry. "It's just lucky I got it back." Someone had left the invisibility cloak for Harry in his dormitory after it had been left in the top of the Astronomy Tower. A note had been pinned to it a second time, this time saying "Just in case."

"But will it cover all four of us?" said Ron.

"All — all four of us?"

"Oh, come off it, you don't think we'd let you go alone?"

"You can't do this by yourself." Skylar believed

"Of course not," said Hermione briskly. "How do you think you'd get to the Stone without us? I'd better go and look through my books, there might be something useful…"

"But if we get caught, you three will be expelled, too."

"Not if I can help it," said Hermione grimly. "Flitwick told me in secret that I got a hundred and twelve percent on his exam. They're not throwing me out after that."

"Besides, you're right, this is more important." Skylar said

"Coming from the girl who's been excited to come here for how long?" Ron asked. She shrugged

"Some things are more important."


	37. Chapter 37

Chapter 37:

After dinner the four of them sat nervously apart in the common room. Nobody bothered them; none of the Gryffindors had anything to say to Harry any more, after all. Hermione was skimming through all her notes, hoping to come across one of the enchantments they were about to try to break. Harry, Skylar and Ron didn't talk much. They were thinking about what they were about to do.

"Hey Sky." the three looked up to see Nick. "How'd your exams go?"

"The practices were much easier and much more fun to do than the theories. All those words and trying to organise facts to write them down made my brain hurt."

"I never thought you'd struggle to write like that?" he chuckled

"Theory exams are boring." she muttered, earning a laugh from her brother before he moved off and away from them towards the twins.

"I thought he'd insist on coming again." Ron whispered

"Clearly we don't look suspicious enough." Skylar muttered back.

Slowly, the room emptied as people drifted off to bed.

"Better get the cloak," Ron muttered, as Lee Jordan finally left, stretching and yawning. Harry ran upstairs to their dark dormitory before he ran back down to the common room.

"We'd better put the cloak on here, and make sure it covers all four of us — if Filch spots one of our feet wandering along on its own —"

"What are you doing?" said a voice from the corner of the room. Neville appeared from behind an armchair, clutching Trevor the toad, who looked as though he'd been making another bid for freedom.

"Nothing, Neville, nothing," said Harry, hurriedly putting the cloak behind his back.

Neville stared at their guilty faces.

"You're going out again," he said.

"No, no, no," said Hermione. "No, we're not. Why don't you go to bed, Neville?"

"You can't go out," said Neville, "you'll be caught again. Gryffindor will be in even more trouble."

"You don't understand," said Harry, "this is important."

But Neville was clearly steeling himself to do something desperate.

"I won't let you do it," he said, hurrying to stand in front of the portrait hole. "I'll — I'll fight you!"

" _Neville,_ " Ron exploded, "get away from that hole and don't be an idiot —"

"Don't you call me an idiot!" said Neville. "I don't think you should be breaking any more rules! And you were the one who told me to stand up to people!"

"Yes, but not to _us,_ " said Ron in exasperation and Skylar nudged him. "Neville, you don't know what you're doing."

He took a step forward and Neville dropped Trevor the toad, who leapt out of sight.

"Go on then, try and hit me!" said Neville, raising his fists. "I'm ready!"

"We're not going to hit you Neville." Skylar said "But this is more important than house points.."

Harry turned to Hermione.

" _Do something,_ " he said desperately.

Hermione stepped forward.

"Neville," she said, "I'm really, really sorry about this."

She raised her wand.

" _Petrificus Totalus_!" she cried, pointing it at Neville.

Neville's arms snapped to his sides. His legs sprang together. His whole body rigid, he swayed where he stood and then fell flat on his face, stiff as a board.

Skylar gapped as Hermione ran to turn him over. Neville's jaws were jammed together so he couldn't speak. Only his eyes were moving, looking at them in horror.

"What've you done to him?" Harry whispered.

"It's the full Body-Bind," said Hermione miserably. "Oh, Neville, I'm so sorry."

"We had to, Neville, no time to explain," said Harry.

"Sorry Neville." Skylar frowned

"You'll understand later, Neville," said Ron as they stepped over him and pulled on the Invisibility Cloak.

"Should we leave him there?" Skylar worried as they climbed through the porthole.

None of them answered and they all felt as if leaving Neville lying motionless on the floor was a bad omen. Still they trekked through the corridors, through the darkness, all bumping shoulders as they were grouped together beneath the cloak. In their nervous state, every statue's shadow looked like Filch, every distant breath of wind sounded like Peeves swooping down on them.

At the foot of the first set of stairs, they spotted Mrs. Norris skulking near the top.

"Oh, let's kick her, just this once," Ron whispered in Harry's ear, but Harry shook his head.

"Better if she doesn't know we're here." Skylar believed

As they climbed carefully around her, Mrs. Norris turned her lamplike eyes on them, but didn't do anything.

They didn't meet anyone else until they reached the staircase up to the third floor. Peeves was bobbing halfway up, loosening the carpet so that people would trip.

"Who's there?" he said suddenly as they climbed toward him. He narrowed his wicked black eyes. "Know you're there, even if I can't see you. Are you ghoulie or ghostie or wee student beastie?"

He rose up in the air and floated there, squinting at them.

"Should call Filch, I should, if something's a-creeping around unseen."

Skylar and Hermione shared a worried look before Harry spoke up.

"Peeves," he said, in a hoarse whisper, catching the three's attention. "the Bloody Baron has his own reasons for being invisible."

Peeves almost fell out of the air in shock. He caught himself in time and hovered about a foot off the stairs.

"So sorry, your bloodiness, Mr. Baron, sir," he said greasily. "My mistake, my mistake — I didn't see you — of course I didn't, you're invisible — forgive old Peevsie his little joke, sir."

"I have business here, Peeves," croaked Harry. "Stay away from this place tonight."

"I will, sir, I most certainly will," said Peeves, rising up in the air again. "Hope your business goes well, Baron, I'll not bother you."

And he scooted off.

" _Brilliant,_ Harry!" whispered Ron.

A few seconds later, they were there, outside the third-floor corridor — and the door was already ajar.

"Well, there you are," Harry said quietly, "Snape's already got past Fluffy."

"Think he's far ahead?" Skylar whispered.

None knew the answer.

"I hope not." Harry mumbled.

Seeing the open door somehow seemed to impress upon all of them what was facing them. Underneath the cloak, Harry turned to the other three.

"If you want to go back, I won't blame you," he said. "You can take the cloak, I won't need it now."

"Don't be stupid," said Ron.

"We're coming," said Hermione. Harry looked at Skylar and she nodded.

Harry pushed the door open.

As the door creaked, low, rumbling growls met their ears. Skylar's mouth fell open, having been the only one to not see the monster before them. A monstrous dog that filled the whole space between ceiling and floor. It had three heads. Three pairs of rolling, mad eyes; three noses, twitching and quivering; three drooling mouths, saliva hanging in slippery ropes from yellowish fangs.

All three of the dog's noses sniffed madly in their direction, even though it couldn't see them.

"Why's it awake if Snape's been?" Skylar questioned as she stared up at it shocked.

"What's that at its feet?" Hermione whispered.

"Looks like a harp," said Ron. "Snape must have left it there."

"It must wake up the moment you stop playing," said Harry. "Well, here goes…"

He put a flute from him pocket in which Hagrid had given Harry for Christmas. He put it to his lips and blew. It wasn't really a tune, but from the first note the beast's eyes began to droop. Slowly, the dog's growls ceased — it tottered on its paws and fell to its knees, then it slumped to the ground, fast asleep.

"Keep playing," Ron warned Harry as they slipped out of the cloak and crept toward the trapdoor. They could feel the dog's hot, smelly breath as they approached the giant heads.

"I think we'll be able to pull the door open," said Ron, peering over the dog's back. "Want to go first, Hermione?"

"No, I don't!"

"Skylar?" Ron offered. She glanced at the dog, her eyes narrowing slightly before she stepped over the dog's legs, Ron following. He bent and pulled the ring of the trapdoor, which swung open, leaving the hole in the floor.

There was pitch darkness inside, the floor was somewhere deep below and unable to be seen. Ron and Skylar shared a look.

"What can you see?" Hermione said anxiously from where they'd left her.

"Nothing — just black — there's no way of climbing down, we'll just have to drop."

"But who knows how far down it is." Skylar said softly "What if we can't jump?"

"Got a better plan?" Ron asked but she just shook her head.

Harry, who was still playing the flute, waved at Ron to get his attention and pointed at himself.

"You want to go first? Are you sure?" said Ron. "I don't know how deep this thing goes. Give the flute to Hermione so she can keep him asleep."

Harry handed the flute over. In the few seconds' silence, the dog growled and twitched, but the moment Hermione began to play, it fell back into its deep sleep.

Harry climbed over it and looked down through the trapdoor.

He lowered himself through the hole until he was hanging on by his fingertips. Then he looked up at Ron and Skylar and said, "If anything happens to me, don't follow. Go straight to the owlery and send Hedwig to Dumbledore, right?"

"Right," said Ron.

"See you in a minute, I hope…"

"Be careful." Skylar said.

And Harry let go.

Ron and Skylar watched as he vanished into the darkness, which seemed to swallow him whole. The three waited, Hermione still playing the flute before they heard Harry's voice.

"It's okay!" he called "it's a soft landing, you can jump!"

"Hermione, come here." Skylar said waving her over. Hermione come toward them, but she stopped playing the flute as she climbed the legs. Ron was already lowering himself into the hole as Fluffy began to stir.

"Quick!" he said to the two girls as Hermione looked white, paling slightly.

Fluffy got back to it's feet and turned to the two girls instantly.

"Go." Skylar said shoving Hermione who instantly moved to the hole.

"Sky!" she said as Fluffy barked and turned on the girl. Her eyes narrowed and Fluffy stared at her before it suddenly began to stumble.

"Jump." Skylar said to Hermione and she vanished into the darkness instantly. Skylar hurried to the hole just as Fluffy fell to it's side beside her, shaking the floor violently so that Skylar fell into the hole. She cried out as she fell before she landed with funny, muffled sort of thump on something soft.

"Are you alright?" Harry asked her

"Piece of cake."

"What did you do to it?" Hermione asked

"I might have put it to sleep." Skylar admitted

"How?" Ron asked

"Tapped it's brain." she muttered as she blinked and her eyes began to adjust. From the feeling below her finger tips it seemed as though the four of them were sitting on some kind of plant. Skylar turned as something ran over her ankles and she yanked on one, trying to lift her leg, but something stopped her. There was something tied around her ankles.

"We must be miles under the school," Hermione said.

"Lucky this plant thing's here, really," said Ron.

" _Lucky_!" shrieked Hermione. "Look at you three!"

Skylar was still struggling but her legs were now being wrapped up. The plant was twisting snake like tendrils around her, Harry and Ron. Hermione had leapt up and struggled towards the damp wall, pulling against the plant which had begun to twist around her as well.

Hermione had managed to free herself before the plant got a firm grip on her. Now she watched in horror as the two boys and Skylar fought to pull the plant off them, but the more they strained against it, the tighter and faster the plant wound around them.

"Hermione!" Skylar said, sounding panicked.

"Stop moving!" Hermione ordered them. "I know what this is — it's Devil's Snare!"

"Oh, I'm so glad we know what it's called, that's a great help," snarled Ron, leaning back, trying to stop the plant from curling around his neck.

Skylar was tied to her chest and it wound so tightly she was gasping for air.

"Hermione!" she said again

"Shut up, I'm trying to remember how to kill it!" said Hermione.

"Well, hurry up, I can't breathe!" Harry gasped, wrestling with it as it curled around his chest.

"Devil's Snare, Devil's Snare… what did Professor Sprout say? — it likes the dark and the damp —"

"So light a fire!" Harry choked.

"Yes — of course — but there's no wood!" Hermione cried, wringing her hands.

"HAVE YOU GONE MAD?" Ron bellowed. "ARE YOU A WITCH OR NOT?"

"Oh, right!" said Hermione, and she whipped out her wand, waved it, muttered something, and sent a jet of the same bluebell flames she had used on Snape at the plant. In a matter of seconds, the two boys and Skylar felt it loosening its grip as it cringed away from the light and warmth. Wriggling and flailing, it unraveled itself from their bodies, and they were able to pull free. Skylar gasped and took several breaths as the three of them began to move.

"Lucky you pay attention in Herbology, Hermione," said Harry as they joined her by the wall, Harry wiping sweat off his face.

"Yeah," said Ron, "and lucky Harry doesn't lose his head in a crisis — 'there's no wood,' _honestly._ "

"Devil Snare. Professor Sprout clearly plans to kill." Skylar said taking a few breaths.

"This way," said Harry, pointing down a stone passageway, which was the only way forward.


	38. Chapter 38

Chapter 38:

All they could hear apart from their footsteps was the gentle drip of water trickling down the walls. The passageway sloped downward and Skylar was wondering what other dangerous, life threatening challengers the teachers had put in place.

"Can you hear something?" Ron whispered.

They paused only momentarily to listen. A soft rustling and clinking seemed to be coming from up ahead.

"Do you think it's a ghost?"

"No." Skylar said positively, having grown up with one.

"I don't know… sounds like wings to me."

"There's light ahead — I can see something moving."

They reached the end of the passageway and saw before them a brilliantly lit chamber, its ceiling arching high above them. It was full of small, jewel-bright birds, fluttering and tumbling all around the room. On the opposite side of the chamber was a heavy wooden door.

"Do you think they'll attack us if we cross the room?" said Ron.

"Probably," said Harry. "They don't look very vicious, but I suppose if they all swooped down at once… well, there's no other choice… I'll run."

He took a deep breath, covered his face with his arms, and sprinted across the room. Ron, Hermione and Skylar looked at the birds worried but they didn't acknowledge Harry. Nothing happened, he reached the door untouched. He pulled the handle, but it was locked.

Skylar, Ron and Hermione followed him, Skylar looking up at the birds above them, pausing in the middle of the room. The other three tugged and heaved at the door, but it wouldn't budge, not even when Hermione tried her Alohomora Charm.

"Now what?" said Ron.

"These birds… they can't be here just for decoration," said Hermione.

"Its got to be another teachers enchantment. They must help us open the door somehow." Skylar thought as they watched the birds soaring overhead, glittering.

"They're not birds!" Harry said suddenly. "They're _keys_! Winged keys — look carefully. So that must mean…" he looked around the chamber while the other two squinted up at the flock of keys. "… yes — look! Broomsticks! We've got to catch the key to the door!"

"But there are _hundreds_ of them!"

"How do we pick one?" Skylar questioned

Ron examined the lock on the door.

"We're looking for a big, old-fashioned one — probably silver, like the handle."

They each seized a broomstick and kicked off into the air, soaring into the midst of the cloud of keys. They grabbed and snatched, but the bewitched keys darted and dived so quickly it was almost impossible to catch one.

Not for nothing, though, was Harry the youngest Seeker in a century. He had a knack for spotting things other people didn't. After a minute of weaving he caught the other two's attention by calling out.

"That one!" they turned and looked through the keys to find the one he was pointing at, finding a large silver key with a bent wing, likely from already being caught and used.

Ron went speeding in the direction that Harry was pointing, crashed into the ceiling, and nearly fell off his broom. Skylar caught him before he fell and he repositioned himself.

"We've got to close in on it!" Harry called, not taking his eyes off the key with the damaged wing. "Ron, you come at it from above — Hermione, stay below and stop it from going down — Skylar, circle it — and I'll try and catch it. Right, NOW!"

Ron dived, Hermione rocketed upward, the key dodged them both, Skylar blocked it's way for it to divert and Harry streaked after it; it sped toward the wall, Harry leaned forward and with a nasty, crunching noise, pinned it against the stone with one hand. Skylar, Ron and Hermione's cheers echoed around the high chamber.

They landed quickly, and Harry ran to the door, the key struggling in his hand. He rammed it into the lock and turned — it worked. The moment the lock had clicked open, the key took flight again, looking very battered now that it had been caught twice.

"Ready?" Harry asked the other three, his hand on the door handle. They nodded. He pulled the door open.

The next chamber was so dark they couldn't see anything at all. But as they stepped into it, light suddenly flooded the room to reveal an astonishing sight.

They were standing on the edge of a huge chessboard, behind the black chessmen, which were all taller than they were and carved from what looked like black stone. Facing them, way across the chamber, were the white pieces. Harry, Ron, Skylar and Hermione shivered slightly — the towering white chessmen had no faces.

"There's the door." Skylar whispered, seeing it beyond the white chessmen.

"Now what do we do?" Harry whispered.

"It's obvious, isn't it?" said Ron. "We've got to play our way across the room."

"How?" said Hermione nervously.

"I think," said Ron, "we're going to have to be chessmen."

"What? But wizard chess is dangerous." Skylar remembered

Ron said nothing and walked up to a black knight to put his hand out and touch the knight's horse. At once, the stone sprang to life. The horse pawed the ground and the knight turned his helmeted head to look down at Ron.

"Do we — er — have to join you to get across?"

The black knight nodded. Ron turned to the other two.

"This needs thinking about…'" he said. "I suppose we've got to take the place of three of the black pieces…"

Skylar, Harry and Hermione stayed quiet, watching Ron think. Finally he said, "Now, don't be offended or anything, but neither of you are that good at chess —"

"We're not offended," said Harry quickly. "Just tell us what to do."

"None of us play like you do." Skylar agreed

"Well, Harry, you take the place of that bishop, and Hermione, Skylar, you go instead of the castles."

"What about you?"

"I'm going to be a knight," said Ron.

The chessmen seemed to have been listening, because at these words a knight, a bishop, and both castles turned their backs on the white pieces and walked off the board, leaving four empty squares that Harry, Ron, Skylar and Hermione took.

"White always plays first in chess," said Ron, peering across the board. "Yes… look…"

A white pawn had moved forward two squares.

Ron started to direct the black pieces. They moved silently wherever he sent them. Skylar was watching the pieces around her in worry, they were made of hard stone and towered over her. If this was like real chess, where the pieces were smashed, not only were they four in danger of being bashed by the white pieces, they were also in trouble of being squashed by stone.

"Harry — move diagonally four squares to the right."

Their first real shock came when their other knight was taken. The white queen smashed him to the floor and dragged him off the board, where he lay quite still, facedown.

Skylar's eyes were wide.

"Had to let that happen," said Ron, looking shaken. "Leaves you free to take that bishop, Hermione, go on."

Every time one of their men was lost, the white pieces showed no mercy. Soon there was a huddle of limp black players slumped along the wall. Twice, Ron only just noticed in time that Harry and Hermione were in danger. He himself darted around the board, taking almost as many white pieces as they had lost black ones.

"We're nearly there," he muttered suddenly. "Let me think — let me think…"

The white queen turned her blank face toward him.

"Yes…" said Ron softly, "it's the only way… I've got to be taken."

"NO!" Harry and Hermione shouted.

"Ron don't be stupid!" Skylar scolded

"That's chess!" snapped Ron. "You've got to make some sacrifices!"

"You could get hurt Ron." Skylar said

"I make my move and she'll take me — that leaves you free to checkmate the king, Harry! It ends the game."

"And you with likely several broke bones or worse! The things made of stone!" Skylar snapped

"It's the only way to end the game." Ron responded

"But —" Harry began

"Do you want to stop Snape or not?"

"Ron —"

"Look, if you don't hurry up, he'll already have the Stone!"

The three all shared a look. It seemed there was no alternative.

"Ready?" Ron called, his face pale but determined. "Here I go — now, don't hang around once you've won."

He stepped forward, and the white queen pounced. She struck Ron hard across the head with her stone arm, and he crashed to the floor — Hermione screamed but stayed on her square and Skylar closed her eyes, not wanting to watch — the white queen dragged Ron to one side. He looked as if he'd been knocked out.

Shaking, Harry moved three spaces to the left.

The white king took off his crown and threw it at Harry's feet. They had won. The chessmen parted and bowed, leaving the door ahead clear. With one last desperate look back at Ron, Harry, Skylar and Hermione charged through the door and up the next passageway.

"What if he's — ?"

"He'll be all right," said Harry, trying to convince himself.

"She only knocked him over the head…" Skylar mumbled "Oh Mrs Weasley will kill me if it's bad." she worried and the two rubbed her back.

"What do you reckon's next?" Harry wondered

"We've had Sprout's, that was the Devils Snare; Flitwick must've put charms on the keys; McGonagall transfigured the chessmen to make them alive; that leaves Quirrell's spell, and Snape's…"

They had reached another door.

"All right?" Harry whispered.

"Go on."

Harry pushed it open.

A disgusting smell filled their nostrils, making the three of them pull their robes up over their noses. Skylar gasped before she shoved Hermione and Harry and they all fell to the floor beside the door. The ground shook and the three stared up as they scrambled to their feet. A troll even larger than the one they had tackled stood in the room with them and had smashed its hands down where they'd just been standing.

"Left!" Skylar said and the three jumped again to avoid it as it struck again.

The troll followed them as they backed up against a wall, stalking towards them. This one didn't hold a club and there weren't rubble lying around as there had been in the bathroom.

"What do we do?" Hermione asked as their backs his the wall and the troll raised one of it's long arms at them.

Skylar placed her arms out across the two on either side of her.

"Mess with it." she answered and they watched as the troll stopped suddenly.

The troll started to turn around, looking dumb and stupid as usual before it waved its arms around it's head.

Hermione and Harry were clinging to Skylar and both looked at her. The troll ran randomly around the room, the floor shaking and the walls doing the same when it ran into them. It seemed to be running from something, as if it was being chased. Skylar didn't take her eyes off of it and the three of them jumped when it turned and smashed it's head straight into the wall, an echoing crunch sounding through the rom.

Everything was still for a moment before the troll swayed and then tumbled over sideways to the floor and lay motionless.

The three children were still for a moment before Skylar lowered her arms and allowed the two to move from the wall.

"What did you do?" Harry asked

"I… messed with it's memories." she confessed. "It's really easy on something so primitive."

"Why didn't you do that with the other one?" Hermione asked

"I've had lessons since then." Skylar reminded her as they moved and glanced at the beast. It didn't seem like it was going to move any time soon. "Besides, I essentially did the same thing, we know knocking it out works."

"Good job Sky." Hermione said

"Guess my gift is good for some things." she muttered back

"Come on, I can't breathe." Harry said and they walked around the troll, keeping their eyes on it in case it woke up.

Harry pulled open the next door, the three of them hardly daring to look at what came next — but there was nothing very frightening in here, just a table with seven differently shaped bottles standing on it in a line.

"Snape's," said Harry. "What do we have to do?"

They stepped over the threshold, and immediately a fire sprang up behind them in the doorway. It wasn't ordinary fire either; it was purple. At the same instant, black flames shot up in the doorway leading onward. They were trapped.

"Look!" Hermione seized a roll of paper lying next to the bottles. Harry and Skylar looked over her shoulders to read it:

 _Danger lies before you, while safety lies behind,_

 _Two of us will help you, whichever you would find,_

 _One among us seven will let you move ahead,_

 _Another will transport the drinker back instead,_

 _Two among our number hold only nettle wine,_

 _Three of us are killers, waiting hidden in line._

 _Choose, unless you wish to stay here forevermore,_

 _To help you in your choice, we give you these clues four:_

 _First, however slyly the poison tries to hide_

 _You will always find some on nettle wine_ _'_ _s left side;_

 _Second, different are those who stand at either end,_

 _But if you would move onward, neither is your friend;_

 _Third, as you see clearly, all are different size,_

 _Neither dwarf nor giant holds death in their insides;_

 _Fourth, the second left and the second on the right_

 _Are twins once you taste them, though different at first sight._

Hermione let out a great sigh while Skylar read it a second time and Harry was amazed to see she was smiling.

"It's a riddle." Skylar said

" _Brilliant,_ " said Hermione. "This isn't magic — it's logic — a puzzle. A lot of the greatest wizards haven't got an ounce of logic, they'd be stuck in here forever."

"But so will we, won't we?"

"Of course not," said Hermione. "Everything we need is here on this paper. Seven bottles: three are poison; two are wine; one will get us safely through the black fire, and one will get us back through the purple."

"But how do we know which to drink?" he looked at Skylar but she was looking between the bottles and the paper.

"Something tells me this is a Hermione quest." she muttered "I mean _"Fourth, the second left and the second on the right, Are twins once you taste them, though different at first sight."_ are probably the wines." she pointed and Hermione nodded.

"Give me a minute."

Hermione read the paper several times. Then she walked up and down the line of bottles, muttering to herself and pointing at them. At last, she clapped her hands.

"Got it," she said. "The smallest bottle will get us through the black fire — toward the Stone."

Skylar and Harry peered down at the tiny bottle.

"There's only enough there for one of us," he said. "That's hardly one swallow."

They looked at each other.

"Which one will get you back through the purple flames?"

Hermione pointed at a rounded bottle at the right end of the line.

"You two drink that," said Harry.

"But—" Skylar began

"No, listen, get back and get Ron. Grab brooms from the flying-key room, they'll get you out of the trapdoor and past Fluffy — go straight to the owlery and send Hedwig to Dumbledore, we need him. I might be able to hold Snape off for a while, but I'm no match for him, really."

"But Harry — what if You-Know-Who's with him?"

"Well — I was lucky once, wasn't I?" said Harry, pointing at his scar. "I might get lucky again."

Skylar stared at him looked most defiant.

Hermione's lip trembled, and she suddenly dashed at Harry and threw her arms around him.

" _Hermione_!"

"Harry — you're a great wizard, you know."

"I'm not as good as you," said Harry as she let go of him. He was blushing slightly.

"Me!" said Hermione. "Books! And cleverness! There are more important things — friendship and bravery and — oh Harry — be _careful_!"

"We can't let him go alone." Skylar said

"We can get help."

"But what if Hedwig's not fast enough?" Skylar questioned looking worried "But if Dumbledore can't come for ages? How are you supposed to last against an adult wizard for that long? Especially one that's on You-Know-Who's side?"

"We can do it Sky." Hermione said "We have to."

"But––" she worried and she looked at Harry. He looked back and he gave her a slight smile, trying to reassure her and she laughed slightly.

"I know you're terrified, don't try and make me feel better." she said

"It's annoying not being able to lie to you." he said and she chuckled. She looked at them both before she nodded in agreement to going with Hermione.

"You drink first," said Harry. "You are sure which is which, aren't you?"

"Positive," said Hermione. She took a long drink from the round bottle at the end, and shuddered. She handed it to Skylar who looked at her worried.

"It's not poison?" said Harry anxiously.

"No — but it's like ice." she nodded to Skylar who looked a the bottle warily and then took a gulp. It indeed felt like ice was flooding through her body and she shuddered as well.

"Quick, go, before it wears off."

"Good luck — take care —"

"GO!" he snapped at them.

"Be careful." Skylar whispered, taking his hand tightly before she hurried after Hermione and toward the purple fire.

She went straight through it, the fire licking at her body but doing no damage before she was standing beside Hermione. They shared an unsure look before going around the knocked out troll and back to the chessboard. Skylar paused momentarily, looking at the troll and then back to the door Harry was beyond.

"Hurry Sky." Hermione said and she hurried through the door,, back down the passage towards were they'd left Ron. The board was still in ruins and Hermione hurried over to Ron who was lying on the side by the other discarded chess pieces. Skylar however paused.

"Ron!" Hermione said and she stared shaking him. "Ron! Sky, help me." Hermione looked at Skylar who was looking back at the door they'd just come from.

"Skylar!"

The auburn haired girl turned to Hermione looking scared.

"Hermione… the troll." she said

"What about it?" she asked

"The troll, it was Quirrell's defence." Skylar realised

"So?" Hermione repeated and Skylar walked toward her.

"The troll was Quirrell's magic…" she paused "Hermione it's Quirrell!" she said

"What are you getting at?"

"It's not Snape! It's Quirrell!" she said frantically. "A troll gets in on Halloween and coincidentally enough Quirrell uses a troll to protect the stone?"

"Hermione, Quirrell's the one working with You-Know-Who!"


	39. Chapter 39

Chapter 39:

It took a while for the two girls to bring Ron around and wake him up.

"Where—" he seemed very disorientated and he winced as he sat up "What—" and it seemed to come back to him. "Where's Harry?" he demanded

"Snape had potions set up to let us go forward but there was only enough for one person." Skylar said as Hermione helped Ron to his feet. Skylar grabbed his other arm as he stumbled, clutching at his head.

"We have to go. We have to get Dumbledore." Hermione said and the two girls pulled his arms over their shoulders to help him through the rubble of the chessboard.

"But Harry…" Ron muttered

"He told us to send an owl to Dumbledore." Skylar said but she glanced back at the door worried.

"How's your head Ron?" Hermione asked as they moved through the door to the room of keys.

"Pounding." he grumbled as Skylar ducked out from under his arm and over to the brooms.

"Think you can fly a broom?" she asked "We have to get up the trap door. Hermione you still got the flute?" the girl nodded.

They moved back down the corridor and towards the darkness of where Devil Snare waited for them. Their eyes took a while to adapt to the darkness, though there was the square, small like a postage stamp, high in the ceiling. They crept along the wall to keep away from the deadly plant before beginning to mount the brooms.

Ron managed to climb onto his broom but he stumbled and seemed unable to stay straight. Twice the girls had to stop him from falling onto the deadly plant.

"Never mind Ron, just come here." and Skylar waved him over as his head was apparently clouding his perception. Ron climbed onto the back of the broom with her and placed his hands on her shoulders before she kicked off from the ground and towards the hole in the roof. She pulled the broom to a stop and Hermione did the same beside her before she pulled out Harry's flute. The girl began to play and soon the growling from above began to subside and there was a slight thump before the two soared out of the hole and right for the door, bursting through it. Hermione was still playing and Skylar slammed the door shut as Ron slumped to the floor.

"Quick!" she said and the two girls grabbed Ron and began to move from the corridor.

As the moved through the corridors Ron seemed to regain his bearings and the two girls let him go. He ran with them, his legs slightly longer and so ended up in front.

Passing a few windows there was a slight light at the edge of the horizon, dawn was coming and soon the students would all be awake.

Lucky for the three of them they didn't meet Mrs Norris, Peeves or Mr Filch on their way from the third floor.

"We have to get to the owlery." Skylar said

"What if Hedwig's not there?" Hermione worried, her voice slightly frantic.

"We use another owl." Ron said obviously.

They were running down the marble staircase and hit the bottom step when the front doors opened and the three of them stopped, worried and surprised.

It was Dumbledore.

He saw the three of them and moved to their side at once, looking at the three.

"Harry's gone after him, hasn't he?" he said and then he moved right past them and up the stairs for the third floor.

The three were silent for a moment.

"He knew." Skylar finally said

"How?" Hermione questioned as Ron blinked a bit and reached for his head again.

"You need the hospital wing." Skylar believed watching him, not knowing an answer to Hermione's question

"But Harry." Hermione said

"I doubt those enchantments will take Dumbledore as long as it took us." Skylar said "He'll be with Harry in no time." she nodded. Ron and Hermione shared a look.

"You sound like you're the one who needs convincing." Ron said. Skylar shoved him and he stumbled so much the two had to catch him before he hit the ground.

"Skylar's right." Hermione muttered and they escorted him to the hospital wing.

The matron was not happy to be awoken so early and she was fussing over them when she noticed Ron, while Skylar had a few bruises from being tied up by Devils snare. Hermione was the least injured, not a mark on her. She fixed Skylar's bruises, though she hadn't noticed they were there at all until the women had pointed them out, and then gave Ron something for his head. The boy was cleared up in no time while Skylar was pacing, glancing at the door with every turn.

Hermione was quiet as well as Madam Pomfrey was going on about what they'd been doing to get such injuries before the door suddenly opened.

Hermione jumped to her feet, having been sitting in a spare chair as Dumbledore came into the room, and in his arms was Harry.

"Harry!" the three chorused looking worried.

"Madam Pomfrey." he said and she was by his side instantly, the two moving over to a bed to lie Harry in. He seemed to be unconscious and was moving so little that Skylar felt her chest constrict.

"Headmaster, what happened?" The Matron asked

"Quirrell it seemed was after the stone." he said and the matron looked shocked.

"What?"

"He was in leagues with Lord Voldemort."

She was speechless.

"Quirrell?" Ron asked shocked and Skylar nodded. Ron's mouth dropped open.

"No way!" he muttered

"If not for these four, and Harry especially, he may have succeeded." he turned to the three but they were waiting for news on Harry.

"He seems merely unconscious." Madam Pomfrey said.

"He's okay?" Skylar asked

"He should be yes." Dumbledore nodded "However Poppy, you may want to give him something for aches and pains." Skylar, Hermione and Ron all shared a look

Dumbledore then rounded on the three of them and Skylar became worried. They'd broken so many school rules and put themselves in danger in the process. She frowned, she wouldn't have been surprised if he decided to punish them, after all, it seemed Harry was only just lucky.

"You know Professor," she began "We did try to come see you today, when we found out Hagrid admitted to telling a stranger how to get past Fluffy. But you'd already left." she said

"And Professor McGonagall wouldn't believe us when we said the stone was in trouble." Ron said

"She went to check the corridor but…" Skylar added

"We just didn't want You-Know-Who to get the stone." Hermione said quietly, her voice small.

"And we had no idea Quirrell was the one behind it all." Skylar mumbled "What happened to him?"

"Lord Voldemort abandoned him. He did not make it." the man said.

The three shared looks between fear and surprise.

"And… him?" Skylar said

"It seems he has escaped." Dumbledore said "Now I suggest, you three return to your beds for some well earned rest." he smiled at them.

"But Harry—" Skylar began

"Will be fine here." Dumbledore assured

"He will wake up right?" Hermione asked

"When he is ready." Dumbledore nodded.

Hermione looked at the two and Ron looked at Skylar as well. She took a breath and then nodded.

The three of them were escorted from the hospital wing by the Matron before they quietly made their way through the castle and toward the Gryffindor tower. They were halfway when Skylar yawned.

"You know we've been up all night." she muttered as she rubbed her arm "I only just realised how tired I am."

Hermione yawned in return and nodded. "I just hope Harry will be alright."

"I'm sure Madam Pomfrey will look after him." Ron assured them both.

"I wonder what happened." Skylar said

"He'll tell us when he wakes up." Ron said

Hermione and Skylar shared a look and rolled their eyes at Ron's calmness but there was an edge in his voice that said he was at least a little concerned.

The common room was mostly empty when they woke up the Fat Lady to get inside, which she was irritated about. No one had bothered waking up as there were no classes as of yet. Neville however was still on the floor, but seemed to have fallen asleep.

"If we hover him upstairs to his bed and unbind him he might think it was a dream." Skylar said.

Ron snickered and Hermione gave them both a disapproving look.

Regardless they did this, Skylar and Ron making sure he didn't bump into anything as Hermione used the levitation charm to get him to the first year boys dormitory. He was put on his bed and the body bind removed before the two girls said goodnight to Ron and moved for the girls dormitory. They shared a slight smile as they climbed into their four poster beds.

Skylar didn't awake until lunch time. Hermione was sitting in her bed rubbing her eyes, looking like she had not been awake for very long either.

"Morning." she mumbled

"What time is it?" Skylar asked when she noticed the other beds were empty and made already.

"I think lunch is on in the Great Hall." Hermione admitted

Skylar's stomach made a noise and the two shared a look before chuckling.

By the time the two girls got to the Great Hall it was very clear that something had happened between Quirrell and Harry Potter during the night. Everyone was talking about it. Many of it sounded outlandish but everyone seemed to know that Harry had stopped Quirrell from receiving something valuable. Something dangerous, something monstrous. The rumours continued. Everyone knew Harry was in the hospital wing.

"None of them seem to know the details." Hermione said

"Wait till Ron gets down here." Skylar said as the two entered the Great Hall.

Several people turned to them as they moved down the Gryffindor table. Skylar saw Nick waving to her and she pulled Hermione over toward him.

"What happened? Harry's in the Hospital wing?" he said as they sat and pulled some sandwiches towards them.

"Well…" Skylar said "We sort of went after the Philosopher's stone last night." Skylar confessed as the Weasley twins and Lee Jordan were listening in.

"And Ron's the one who's gonna spread it." Hermione said

At that moment the boy in question plonked himself down opposite with the twins, yawning widely.

"Morning." he mumbled

"More like afternoon." Fred smirked.

"So a philosopher stone?" George asked

"A stone that produces the Elixir of life that makes one immortal and turns metal into pure gold." Hermione recited

"You-Know-Who was after it, Quirrell was working for him."

"I never would have posed him as they type." Fred admitted

"So you just got past the dog and that was it?" Nick asked

"What dog?" Lee Jordan questioned

"The teachers protected the Philosopher stone with enchantments. Dumbledore had Hagrid, Professor Sprout, Professor Flitwick, Professor McGonagall, Quirrell, and Professor Snape help him protect it."

"Enchantments like what?" Nick wondered

"Well they each put something to try and stop people from getting the stone. Professor Sprout put Devils Snare in the way." Skylar said "Almost suffocated me, Harry and Ron had Hermione not known what it was and how to stop it." she said pointing to her.

"First we had to get past Fluffy." Ron said rolling his eyes

"Fluffy?" Fred asked

"Hagrid's three-headed pet dog." Skylar said and the twins grinned.

"Wicked."

"It's not, almost bit our heads off." Ron snapped

"Skylar was able to put it to sleep." Hermione said and the two shared a look.

"So Sprout's was next and then was Flitwick's. He enchanted a door and filled the room with flying keys. We had to catch the right one to get through."

"McGonagall's was next." Ron said

"Giant chessboard. Ron was brilliant! He won us the game. Got himself knocked out in the process but." Skylar grinned at him and he shrugged

"Quirrell's was next, he had a troll stationed in the way." Skylar said

"Skylar messed with it's head and knocked it out." Hermione said

"And then was Snape's. He blocked the doors with fire and gave potions to get through them. First we had to figure out which potions were the right ones and Hermione was brilliant in that." Skylar smiled

"But there wasn't enough for more than one person to move on with Harry." Hermione frowned

"We had to let him go by himself." Skylar said looking worried.

"So they woke me up, cause I was unconscious," Ron said "And ran to send for Dumbledore."

"Cause he'd gone to the Ministry for some reason." Skylar added

"But he was already here and he went straight after Harry without a word." Hermione said.

"He came into the Hospital Wing a little while later with Harry unconscious." Skylar said

"A three-headed dog in the school!" Fred said looking excited.

"That's all you got from all of that isn't it." Skylar muttered and he shrugged.

"I can't believe Quirrell was working for You-Know-Who." Nick muttered "I mean of all the people."

"He was such a scary cat." George nodded in agreement as the three took the break to eat some more food.

"I can't believe you went without me." Nick mumbled to his sister.

"Last time you helped we lost Gryffindor one hundred and fifty points and got detention in the forbidden forest." Skylar said, earning laughter from the twins and Lee. She turned to Hermione and Ron as Nick scolded the three.

"Shall we go see if Harry's awake?" she offered and they nodded.


	40. Chapter 40

Chapter 40:

Harry didn't wake up for two more days and in that time the story of what had happened before Harry went to meet Quirrell had spread like wildfire. People were coming up and asking Skylar, Hermione and Ron for first hand accounts, Ron of who was more than happy to give it. What happened between Quirrell and Harry only were rumours and they escalated to all sorts of ridiculous ideas. But of course no one knew what was true or not. Quirrell had not survived and Harry could not be asked yet.

He awoke on the third day, missing the last Quidditch match of Ravenclaw and Gryffindor, in which Gryffindor was majorly defeated without their seeker.

Skylar, Hermione and Ron found out Harry was awake when they went to visit on the third day and the Matron had informed them.

"Can we talk to him?" Skylar asked

"Is he alright?" Hermione demanded

"He needs rest and sleep." she said sternly "No visitors."

She'd closed the doors but the three hadn't given up and within a few minutes, she gave in. The three burst in and ran right to Harry who was lying in one of the hospital beds of white linen. " _Harry_!"

Hermione looked ready to fling her arms around him again, but she held herself in. Skylar however flung her arms around him carefully, being aware that he was somewhat sore.

"Are you alright?" she asked looking him over.

"I'm fine." he nodded.

"Oh, Harry, we were sure you were going to — Dumbledore was so worried —" Hermione said

"The whole school's talking about it," said Ron. "What _really_ happened?"

And Harry told them how he had appeared in the next room to find Quirrell looking at the Mirror he had found over Christmas, the one that showed what you most desired.

"He was trying to figure out how to get the stone from it." Harry said

"Did he?" Skylar asked and Harry shook his head.

"He didn't know how the mirror worked, he saw himself giving Voldemort the stone but couldn't get it."

"How come?" Hermione asked

"Dumbledore told me he made the mirror so that only someone who wanted the stone but didn't want to use it could get it." Harry said "Quirrell had me tied up so I couldn't really look in the mirror. Quirrell couldn't figure it out and he asked for help and a voice answered him." the three gasped. "It told him to use me so he released me and I looked in the mirror and I saw myself put it in my pocket and it did drop into my pocket! I lied to Quirrell about it but the voice said I was lying and then it said it wanted to talk to me and Quirrell removed his turban."

The three were staring in anticipation as he spoke.

"Voldemort's face was on the back of Quirrell's head! Pale skin and red eyes and slitted nostrils!" Hermione screamed as Skylar and Ron looked rather scared. "He told me about how he valued bravery and how he killed my parents, that my mum didn't have to die and she was protecting me. And when I refused to join him he ordered Quirrell to kill me. I tried to run but he was faster."

"How'd you get away?" Skylar asked

"He was unable to touch me, cause my mother died to save me it left pure magic on me that someone like Voldemort can't come into contact with, according to Dumbledore. It made him all burnt and blistery." Harry said "It made my head hurt to touch him though, made my scar seer but I held on, I was only thinking of keeping the stone from him and it caused me to black out just as Dumbledore got there."

"So what happened?" Ron questioned

"Apparently Voldemort abandoned Quirrell and he didn't survive."

"And the stone?" Hermione asked

"Dumbledore said he and Nicholas Flamel agreed to destroy it."

"Destroy it?" Skylar said surprised.

"So the Stone's gone?" said Ron finally. "Flamel's just going to _die_?"

"That's what I said, but Dumbledore thinks that — what was it? — 'to the well-organised mind, death is but the next great adventure.' "

"I always said he was off his rocker," said Ron, looking quite impressed at how crazy his hero was.

"I think that's a very good way to look at it, instead of being scared by it." Skylar said.

"So what happened to you three?" said Harry.

"Well, Sky and I got back all right," said Hermione. "We brought Ron round — that took a while — and we were dashing up to the owlery to contact Dumbledore when we met him in the entrance hall — he already knew — he just said, 'Harry's gone after him, hasn't he?' and hurtled off to the third floor."

"We went to the Hospital Wing to get Ron's head fixed and Dumbledore brought you in not too long afterwards." Skylar admitted "He said you were fine but…"

"D'you think he meant you to do it?" said Ron. "Sending you your fathers cloak and everything?"

" _Well,_ " Hermione exploded, "if he did — I mean to say — that's terrible — you could have been killed."

"No, it isn't," said Harry thoughtfully. "He's a funny man, Dumbledore. I think he sort of wanted to give me a chance. I think he knows more or less everything that goes on here, you know. I reckon he had a pretty good idea we were going to try, and instead of stopping us, he just taught us enough to help. I don't think it was an accident he let me find out how the mirror worked. It's almost like he thought I had the right to face Voldemort if I could…"

"Still you could have very well not have gotten out of there alive." Skylar said

"Yeah, Dumbledore's off his rocker, all right," said Ron proudly. "Listen, you've got to be up for the end-of-year feast tomorrow. The points are all in and Slytherin won, of course — you missed the last Quidditch match, we were steamrollered by Ravenclaw without you — but the food'll be good."

At that moment, Madam Pomfrey bustled over.

"You've had nearly fifteen minutes, now OUT," she said firmly and she ushered the three out.

"Hopefully he can come tomorrow. It'd be terrible to miss the first end-of-year feast." Skylar said

"I'm sure he'll be fine." Ron said "Seems good. Lucky Dumbledore came back though hey."

"Seems it. I knew we shouldn't have let him go alone." Skylar frowned

"We didn't really have much of a choice with Snape's potion." Hermione said. Skylar looked irritable.

"Typical Snape really. But if that was the case, how did both Quirrell and Dumbledore get through? I mean I guess Dumbledore could disperse the flames anyway but."

"Maybe it reset for the next people?" Ron offered

"If that's the case we should have gone back in and followed him." Skylar believed

"Well there's no point thinking about it now. He's okay, let's be thankful for that." Hermione said and the two nodded.

"What should we do today?" Ron wondered

"Let's go see Hagrid. We haven't since he told us how to get past Fluffy." Skylar said "He might be worried." Hermione and Ron agreed.

They trekked down and out of the castle, the day outside was bright and sunny before they went down for Hagrid's hut. The three knocked and there was shuffling before the door opened and Hagrid was revealed. He looked at them all before he suddenly started crying.

"Hagrid!" Hermione and Skylar said surprised as Ron looked unsure and almost as if he wanted to run away.

"What's wrong?" Skylar asked as they came into the room and sat the man down at his table.

"It's all my fault!" he wailed "I told him how to get past Fluffy! It's cause of me you had to go after him and Harry—" he cut off as he sobbed.

"Hagrid," Hermione said as she rubbed his arm. Skylar however had noticed a handsome leather-bound book on the table and several photographs scattered with it. She picked one up and noticed it was her mother and father with two other people, two people she recognised from a portrait in her house. Lily and James Potter.

"This is my mother's photo." she said and Hagrid stopped sobbing to look up. Skylar looked over the pictures and noticed they all contained Lily to James, her parents were scattered through them quite a bit. "My dad had this in his study." she said as she picked up one of five boys, laughing.

"Yeh, your parents sent them ter me." Hagrid said through his tears.

"What are all these for?" Ron asked, grasping at the fact that Hagrid was no longer crying.

"I asked Dumbledore to let me put it together. Know Harry doesn' have any pictures of his parents so," Skylar was looking through them with a grin.

"This is brilliant." she said and she opened the book to find a few Hagrid had already put into the books.

"Asked 'em through owls and they sent them, been getting pictures all day." Hagrid admitted as the pictures waved up at the three as they looked through the photos.

"His mother was beautiful." Hermione smiled

"She was brilliant, Muggle-born too." Skylar said nudging her and Hermione smiled, blushing slightly.

* * *

The Great Hall was decked out in Slytherin colours of silver and green to celebrate Slytherin winning the house cup as the student body filled in and to their respective tables. A huge banner showing the Slytherin serpent covered the wall behind the High Table. Hermione, Ron, Skylar, Nick and the Weasley twins sat together, Lee Jordan with them as the room was filled with chatter.

"Where's Harry?" Ron asked looking around

"Give him time." Skylar said "Madam Pomfrey's strict about her parents by the look of it so,"

"Well he can't miss it." Nick believed

"I hope he doesn't."

"There he is." Fred said and they all turned to see him walking in after everyone else.

There was a sudden hush as everyone noticed him before the talking picked back up. Many people began to stand to see him as he moved over to them and slipped in between Ron and Skylar at the Gryffindor table.

"How are you feeling?" Skylar asked

"All better." he nodded as he tried to ignore the people trying to get a look at him. Fortunately, Dumbledore arrived moments later. The babble died away.

"Another year gone!" Dumbledore said cheerfully. "And I must trouble you with an old man's wheezing waffle before we sink our teeth into our delicious feast. What a year it has been! Hopefully your heads are all a little fuller than they were… you have the whole summer ahead to get them nice and empty before next year starts…

"Now, as I understand it, the House Cup here needs awarding, and the points stand thus: In fourth place, Gryffindor, with three hundred and twelve points; in third, Hufflepuff, with three hundred and fifty-two; Ravenclaw has four hundred and twenty-six and Slytherin, four hundred and seventy-two."

A storm of cheering and stamping broke out from the Slytherin table. Draco Malfoy was banging his goblet on the table along with many others.

"Yes, yes, well done, Slytherin," said Dumbledore. "However, recent events must be taken into account."

The room went very still. The Slytherins' smiles faded a little.

"Ahem," said Dumbledore. "I have a few last-minute points to dish out. Let me see. Yes…

"First — to Mr. Ronald Weasley…"

Ron went purple in the face; he looked like a radish with a bad sunburn.

"… for the best-played game of chess Hogwarts has seen in many years, I award Gryffindor House thirty-five points."

Gryffindor cheers nearly raised the bewitched ceiling; the stars overhead seemed to quiver. Percy could be heard telling the other prefects, "My brother, you know! My youngest brother! Got past McGonagall's giant chess set!"

At last there was silence again.

"Second — to Miss Hermione Granger… for the use of cool logic in the face of fire, I award Gryffindor House thirty-five points."

Hermione buried her face in her arms and Skylar rubbed her back grinning.

"Third — to Miss Skylar Rosenwald…" Skylar blushed slightly as those around looked at her grinning. "for utilising her own skills and always protecting her friends, I award Gryffindor House, forty points." Gryffindors up and down the table were beside themselves — they were a hundred and ten points up.

"Fourth — to Mr. Harry Potter…" said Dumbledore. The room went deadly quiet. "… for pure nerve and outstanding courage, I award Gryffindor House fifty points."

The din was deafening. Those who could add up while yelling themselves hoarse knew that Gryffindor now had four hundred and seventy-two points — exactly the same as Slytherin. They had tied for the House Cup — if only Dumbledore had given Harry just one more point.

Dumbledore raised his hand. The room gradually fell silent.

"There are all kinds of courage," said Dumbledore, smiling. "It takes a great deal of bravery to stand up to our enemies, but just as much to stand up to our friends. I therefore award ten points to Mr. Neville Longbottom."

Someone standing outside the Great Hall might well have thought some sort of explosion had taken place, so loud was the noise that erupted from the Gryffindor table. Harry, Skylar, Ron, and Hermione stood up to yell and cheer as Neville, white with shock, disappeared under a pile of people hugging him. He had never won so much as a point for Gryffindor before.

"Which means," Dumbledore called over the storm of applause, for even Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff were celebrating the downfall of Slytherin, "we need a little change of decoration."

He clapped his hands. In an instant, the green hangings became scarlet and the silver became gold; the huge Slytherin serpent vanished and a towering Gryffindor lion took its place. Snape was shaking Professor McGonagall's hand, with a horrible, forced smile.

Skylar was hugging her brother and she hugged Harry as well, jumping up and down. It may have been the last night of the year, by far, the best one to have occurred yet. No one would ever forget it.


	41. Chapter 41

Chapter 41:

Exam results were still to come but it seemed such a dismal thing after all that had occurred in the last week, but come they did. Harry and Ron passed with good marks which seemed to surprise them both. Skylar did rather well, her practical marks making up for all of her theory which she'd worried about slightly. Hermione, of course, had the best grades of the first years. Even Neville scraped through, his good Herbology mark making up for his abysmal Potions one. They had hoped that Goyle, who was almost as stupid as he was mean, might be thrown out, but he had passed, too. It was a shame, but as Ron said, you couldn't have everything in life.

And then the year was coming to an end, their wardrobes were empty, their trunks were packed, Neville's toad was found lurking in a corner of the toilets; notes were handed out to all students, warning them not to use magic over the holidays ("I always hope they'll forget to give us these," said Fred Weasley sadly. "Like that'd excuse you." Skylar warned.)

The rest of the school climbed into the carriages to take them back to the Hogwarts Express in Hogsmeade while the first years were to go by boat. Hagrid was there to take them down to the fleet of boats that sailed across the lake; they were boarding the Hogwarts Express with everyone else, trying to find a seat. Harry, Ron, Skylar, Hermione, Nick and the Weasley twins managed to get a compartment together. They spent the ride talking and laughing as the countryside became greener and tidier; eating Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans as they sped past Muggle towns; pulling off their wizard robes and putting on jackets and coats before they were pulling into platform nine and three-quarters at King's Cross station.

"I can't believe the year is over already." Skylar muttered as they saw the station rolling up beside the window.

"Yeah considering how excited you were." Ron smirked

"I know right… I watch Nick got for two years and now suddenly my first is done." Skylar said as the other's chuckled at her. "I feel like I'll be leaving before I know it."

"That's if you make it through your exams." Fred said

"I feel you're way more likely to fail than I am." Skylar said and Nick bursted out laughing. The twins however simply shrugged.

"What ever happens happens." George said and Fred nodded in agreement.

The seven of them moved for the door and joined the throng of students to get onto the platform. From there they had to join the cue of people trying to get out of the platform and into Kings Cross. This took quite a while as a wizened old guard was up by the ticket barrier, letting them go through the gate in twos and threes so they didn't attract attention by all bursting out of a solid wall at once and alarming the Muggles.

"You must come and stay this summer," said Ron, "both of you — I'll send you an owl."

"What about Skylar?" Harry asked and she chuckled

"Ron and my houses have a direct floo connection. I can go over every day if I want to."

"A direct what?" Harry asked looking confused, having never heard of the floo network before. Hermione however had obviously read about it.

"How'd you get that?" Hermione wondered

"My dad set it up after we all wanted to keep spending so much time together." Skylar shrugged looking at Ron who nodded. "My dad has friends in the Department of Magical Transportation at the Ministry and they did it for him on a favour. When you guys are there I'll just pop in all the time." she grinned

"Thanks," said Harry, "I'll need something to look forward to."

"Besides Leon's coming next year and he idols Ron, he'll want to hear about everything from him." Skylar added and Ron looked rather proud of himself.

"Well, what can I say." the three of them laughed at him as they jostled forward. People called out from around them as they disappeared through the gate or were waiting to do so.

"Bye, Harry!"

"See you, Potter!"

"Still famous," said Ron, grinning at him.

"Not where I'm going, I promise you," said Harry.

"Well it's only for a bit cause if Ron doesn't have you over, I will." Skylar said.

She had to back up as Hermione, Harry and Ron went through the gate and Skylar and Nick followed them, the twins behind.

Parents were waiting on the other side of the gate for their children and one recognisable voice reached Skylar first.

"There he is, Mom, there he is, look!"

It was Ginny and she was pointed at Harry.

"Harry Potter!" she squealed. "Look, Mom! I can see —"

"Be quiet, Ginny, and it's rude to point."

"Ginny!" Skylar beamed and she ran forwards to hug the girl who ran to meet her. "Oh I missed you! I can't believe you got to go away for Christmas!" Skylar frowned

"I know, I've got heaps of photos to show you though." Ginny grinned before she turned to look over Skylar's shoulder at Harry.

"Can I see them too?" the two girls turned and Leon grinned at them.

"Leo!" Skylar beamed and she hugged her brother before she felt a hand on her head and saw her parents behind her as well.

"Welcome back." Dominique smiled

"Have a good first year?" Nathaniel asked.

Skylar glanced at Ron who was beside her and he coughed and turned away as Skylar giggled. The two parents rose an eyebrow.

"I'll tell you all about it if you promise not to freak." she said and they shared a look.

"What?" Leon asked

"I'll tell you when we get home but you'll never believe it!"

"You're sisters' worse than our dad." Nick whispered to Leon as he'd joined them, making his little brother blink confused.

"Busy year?" Mrs Weasley said, turning from Skylar to Harry and Ron as she'd been listening.

"Very," said Harry. "Thanks for the fudge and the sweater, Mrs. Weasley.

"Oh, it was nothing, dear."

"And thanks for the photos, clothes and Quidditch books." he said to the Rosenwalds.

"Wasn't letting you walk around in those clothes, much too big for you." Dominique said disapprovingly.

"And the books for you to enjoy." Nathaniel added, earning a hit to the shoulder from his wife. Harry grinned, sharing a lot with Skylar.

"Have a fun year?" Dominique asked

"Absolutely." Harry grinned

"Was definitely not boring." Nick nodded.

"Ready, are you?"

The wizards all turned to see a big, beefy man with hardly any neck, although he did have a very large moustache. Behind him were two more muggles, looking rather terrified. A women who was thin and blonde and had nearly twice the usual amount of neck and a boy, who was clearly their sun as he looked a lot like his father. He had a large pink face, not much neck, small, watery blue eyes, and thick blond hair that lay smoothly on his thick, fat head.

Skylar and Nick turned away as they snorted and Leon was blinking with Ron at the boy. The twins were whispering with one another while Percy was talking to his father and Ginny was admiring Harry still.

"Vernon Dursley." Dominique recognised as she looked at the women, clearly recognising her. Vernon looked at her in shock at her knowing his name. The witch didn't say anything more.

"You must be Harry's family!" said Mrs. Weasley as slight tension had begun to build.

"In a manner of speaking," said Uncle Vernon. "Hurry up, boy, we haven't got all day." He walked away.

"Wow." Skylar said in a monotone. "Could he be more excited to see you?" she said and Leon snickered.

Harry hung back for a last word with Skylar, Ron and Hermione.

"See you over the summer, then."

"I'll write to you all the time, Mum can we break Harry out of the muggle's house early?" she said turning to her parents.

"Absolutely." she nodded and she smiled at Harry. "We'll get you back where you belong."

Harry grinned at her.

"Hope you have — er — a good holiday," said Hermione, looking uncertainly after Uncle Vernon, shocked that anyone could be so unpleasant.

"Oh, I will," said Harry, and they were surprised at the grin that was spreading over his face. " _They_ don't know we're not allowed to use magic at home. I'm going to have a lot of fun with Dudley this summer…"

The three of them chuckled before they waved and Harry moved off after the family. They hurried from the wizards, the women looking around as if scared of seeing more.

"Didn't even say hi to him." Hermione said to Skylar.

"Well they came and got him." Skylar shrugged "Is that not something?"

"Yeah, didn't abandon him." Ron snorted

"Well, have a good summer." Hermione smiled and she hugged Skylar before she turned and to her parents standing a little ways off, Mr Weasley looking ready to jump them and ask about muggle things, as they turned and left the station as well.

"So, shall we do something tomorrow?" Skylar asked Ron. He didn't get to answer as she gasped. "Mum can the Weasley's come for dinner! I want to tell Ginny everything!" she said spinning to face her.

"Oh yes please! Oh what's Harry like?" she said turning from Skylar to her mother to Skylar again. Mrs Weasley rolled her eyes as did Ron as Skylar grinned.

"You've spent all year together." Nathaniel said smirking

"Not Ginny! I haven't seen her since I got on the train!" Skylar said pointing to her "I have so much to say!" the red headed girl was nodding in agreement.

"Please!" they chorused.

"Well Molly, would you like to come for dinner?" Dominique asked as the two women laughed at their daughters.

"Well I think we might be outvoted." Mrs Weasley admitted.

"Yes!" the twins and Nick shared a high five and Leon beamed.

"Don't look too excited Ron." Skylar said annoyed and he just shrugged

"Nothing new."

"But you have to tell Leon about the chess set!" Skylar said and Leon looked curious

"What chess set?"

Ron was looking important and impressive again. "Well alright then." and Skylar laughed.

"So what did you guys do the last few months?" she asked her parents.

* * *

 **Hope you enjoyed it. Rest assumed I've been comparing this with An Unbreakable Series so that it's different. Mostly for the responses to things.**

 **Tell me what you think.**


	42. Author's Note!

**Hey all!**

 **This Authors note was added to bring you awesome news!**

 **I have completed the second book!**

 **The second book to the Rosenwald family has been published to this site!**

 **The Rosenwald Family Again**

 **With all its 43 chapters ready for you to indulge in!**

 **Yeah I sound like an advertisement… But I do love seeing people enjoy my stories.**

 **Review me and send me messages, I love them! And I hope you enjoy the second instalment!**

 **Love always!**


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